JAWALL

Three NHS foundation trusts have published proposals (PDF) to merge into a single organisation, with intentions including making better use of IT and creating shared platforms, such as a shared electronic patient record.

In their strategic outline case, the three trusts - Guy's and St Thomas', King's College hospital, and South London and Maudsley - say that introducing shared platforms across a single merged organisation offers a range of benefits. According to the trusts, they include lowering the risk of medical error, reducing outpatient appointment times, and improving patient experience by avoiding asking people to repeat basic information.