Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has launched a new electronic patient record (EPR) system as part of a major step in its long-term digital transformation programme.
The trust has introduced the Nervecentre EPR, which is designed to improve the way patient care is delivered and managed across its hospitals.
The system is intended to provide seamless access to patient information across departments, improve coordination of care and clinical decision-making, and reduce the amount of time staff spend on paperwork, allowing more time for direct patient care.
The trust also said the system is expected to improve both the quality and cost-effectiveness of services.
Elements of the Nervecentre system had already been in use within inpatient services, but the launch marked a significant expansion to include administration, theatres and outpatient services.
NUH said the introduction of the EPR represents the start of a 10-year programme to maximise the benefits of the investment, with further developments planned over the coming years.
When the system went live on Monday 3 November, the trust experienced slower-than-expected performance and called a critical incident. NUH said it worked closely with its technology partner to resolve the issues and restore stability across the organisation.
Andy Callow, NUH’s Chief Digital and Transformation Officer, said the launch marked an important milestone in the trust’s digital journey. He said the new system provides an opportunity for staff to use modern technology to streamline processes and communication, helping to create a more efficient service for patients, and thanked staff for their work in implementing the change.
Mark Simmonds, Deputy Medical Director and Clinical Lead for the EPR Programme, said introducing new technology in healthcare involves a balance of risk but that the trust was pleased to have implemented a functioning EPR system as part of its wider digital transformation. He said teams across NUH were adapting to new ways of working following initial challenges and described the launch as an important early step in improving how patient care is delivered and managed.
The EPR launch aligns with the NHS’s Analogue to Digital priority within its 10-year plan, which promotes the use of digital technologies to support staff, improve patient care and enable patients to manage their own health online. A single care record system is a key objective of that programme.
Dermot Ryan, Director of Digital Transformation at NHS England, said the go-live represented a major step forward for NUH, adding that the milestone reflected significant effort across the organisation and provided digital foundations for future technologies to support clinical practice, productivity and patient care.
During 2026, NUH plans to introduce additional Nervecentre functions, including the Patient Centre module, which will allow patients to become more involved in their own care through digital tools. Further details are expected to be shared at a later date.
The trust said the move to Nervecentre marks a significant milestone in its digital transformation and forms part of a 10-year partnership with Nervecentre.
Paul Volkaerts, chief executive of Nervecentre, said EPR launches are among the most complex digital changes for hospitals, affecting all services, patients and staff. He said delivering the system at the scale of NUH reflected a strong partnership focused on providing digital tools to support safe and efficient patient care.
