Minister of State for Health, Ben Bradshaw MP, visited the Orpington Community Mental Health Centre on Monday 27 October, to see how information technology is helping doctors, nurses and other health professionals treat patients more effectively in south east London.

The centre is part of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust – one of the first Mental Health Trusts in London to have completed a trust-wide switch to electronic records.

Replacing a paper-based system, the BT installed technology is helping to improve the quality of treatment given to patients. Electronic patient records can now be shared by a number of clinicians, spread across the trust’s 76 sites. This has made it easier and faster to access up-to-date patient information, regardless of where the patient was last treated. For example, if a patient requires emergency treatment at the weekend, the doctor treating them will be able to access the latest information on their case more quickly and effectively.