Military records are to be digitised and integrated with the NHS
for the first time, in a move which will boost
recruitment, improve deployability and transform
the experience for recruits and service leavers.
Archaic paper-based records, which date back
decades, will be scraped and replaced with a modern
digital system, already widely used by the NHS.
Currently, transferring health records between the NHS and
Defence Medical Services relies on time-consuming paperwork that
slows recruitment and harms how quickly personnel can be
deployed on operations. Similarly, when leaving the
military, service leavers will also have a seamless
transition.
The MOD has awarded a £7.8 million contract to Leeds-based
software company The Phoenix Partnership for the
new tech. By 2027, the new system will
help get recruits through the door and into training
faster, and ensuring serving personnel are ready when
needed.
Minister for Veterans People,
Louise Sandher-Jones MP said:
Our Armed Forces deserve a healthcare system as modern as they
are. For too long, paper-based records have slowed down
recruitment and created unnecessary headaches for those leaving
the military.
This new system will cut through the bureaucracy, getting
recruits into uniform faster and ensuring veterans transition
smoothly to civilian life. It's a concrete example of this
government delivering on our promise to renew the
nation's contract with those who serve – and proof that
defence investment means British jobs and British growth.
For service leavers, the change
delivers the government's promise to renew the contract
with those who serve and have served. Personnel
transitioning to civilian life will no longer face the burden of
chasing paperwork or waiting for health records to reach their
NHS providers.
The contract demonstrates how the Defence Industrial
Strategy is making defence an engine for growth,
supporting innovation and jobs across
the UK and increasing MOD spending with small and
medium enterprises.
This builds on the recent award of a £2.5 million contract for
the Mercury application, which enables Defence medics to securely
access military medical records during operations and exercises.
Both contracts have been overseen by Programme
Cortisone, a Defence Medical Services and Defence
Digital initiative to replace outdated systems with a
secure, modern platform.
CEO at The Phoenix Partnership, Charlotte
Knowles said:
We are extremely proud that the Ministry of Defence has chosen
our modern electronic health record system. It is an immense
honour to support the delivery of GP, community and
rehabilitation services for our Armed Forces and their families,
across all four nations of the UK. It is a privilege to be able
to help those who serve our country. The partnership between the
Ministry of Defence and TPP will deliver the world's most
advanced digital health platform for the Royal Navy,
British Army and Royal Air Force – now and into the
future.
We are excited to help deliver Programme CORTISONE. It will
foster deeper collaboration between the Ministry of Defence and
the NHS - providing insight, innovation and continuous
improvements in care delivery.
Commander Defence Primary Healthcare, Surgeon Commodore
Andy Nelstrop, said:
This is fantastic news. The Phoenix Partnership is a market
leader, with a proven track record in NHS Primary Care,
and I look forward to working with them to improve our medical
information systems. This will lead us to safer, more effective
and better connected care provision for our patients.
Commander Cyber & Specialist Operations Command,
General Sir Jim Hockenhull, said:
Modern, secure digital systems are essential to maintaining a
deployable and ready force. This new electronic health records
system will give our Armed Forces the digital infrastructure they
need – speeding up recruitment, improving the flow of
information, and ensuring our people can focus on the mission
rather than paperwork. It's exactly the kind of modernisation we
need to keep pace with the threats we face.
In November, the government rolled out a new NHS programme
to ensure veterans, serving personnel, reservists and
their families to receive better healthcare in recognition of
their service.
The new programme - backed by £1.8 million over 3 years - is
being rolled out across England to ensure NHS staff
across the country are trained to deliver personalised and
targeted healthcare to armed forces personnel and their
families.
The national training and education plan will support all NHS
bodies to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed
Forces Covenant.
This will ensure those who serve or have served, and their
families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged because of
their service in the armed forces, and reduce
inequalities and variation in veterans' healthcare.
