Registered managers, care managers and team leaders can now have access to residents’ GP records, thanks to a new PASS platform from everyLIFE Technologies.

Access to GP data was previously only available to registered practitioner nurses, but following a ruling by NHSX, the care management platform PASS will now enable more authorised professionals to view their customers’ data via GP Connect. This means that the ability to view key areas of the GP patient record will very soon be extended beyond registered clinicians to several additional roles, providing their organisation meets the correct data security requirements.

GP Connect allows authorised care professionals in England to access a read-only view of their customers’ GP practice clinical data, helping to support direct patient care and driving improvements in both care and outcomes.

Those now eligible to be granted access to selected key information from the GP patient record also include deputy home managers, deputy care managers, senior carers, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and social workers.

The PASS platform, which supports the delivery of care to over 100,000 people every day, was the first to originally integrate GP Connect in late 2020. The latest announcement marks an industry first for the domiciliary care sector, with PASS the only care management platform offering this accessibility to a range of qualified professionals. The expansion will enable providers across the entire social care sector to develop better-informed care plans using their customer’s GP records with greater pace and accessibility.

Those using the PASS management system will now be able to quickly and easily view and share GP records including allergy information and existing health issues. As medical information can be shared between IT systems, GP Connect will reduce workloads and make it easier than ever to deliver person-centred, joined-up care across different care settings.

To access GP Connect via PASS, users of the care management platform are required to complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT), assuring that good data security is practised and personal information is handled correctly.

Speaking of the expanded access, Taffy Gatawa, chief information and compliance officer at everyLIFE Technologies, said: “Since integrating GP Connect with PASS in 2020, our users have benefited from an enhanced understanding of those they care for which has contributed to improved care outcomes. Now, by offering access to a greater number of authorised individuals, providers will benefit from improved efficiency while reducing the workload of their Registered Managers.

“everyLIFE Technologies has advocated for many months to expand access to GP Connect, and we’re delighted for our customers to now benefit from this latest update to PASS.

“This is an important milestone in our efforts to champion interoperability between the health and social care sectors, which promises to unlock even greater benefits to care quality and outcomes for services users in the months to come.”

Andrea Baxter, registered manager at Baxters Homecare, added:
“Very simply, I could describe PASS GP Connect in just one word: Amazing! We were delighted to have been the country’s very first care provider to access a GP record for a client in this way, and we now use it regularly. It saves so much time and undoubtedly helps us to provide better care.”