The government has claimed that sharing access to patients' health data across NHS providers in England could result in 20,000 fewer A&E visits a year and save £20m annually. The claims come ahead of the second reading of the NHS modernisation bill on Monday.
The bill would introduce single patient records (SPR) for every person receiving health and social care in England, requiring GPs and hospitals to securely share data. This forms part of the government's 10-year health plan. According to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), combining SPRs with virtual care would reduce A&E attendances for frail patients by about 10,000 a year, with another 10,000 fewer visits due to fewer misdiagnoses, saving doctors about 500,000 hours annually.
The DHSC also predicts 6,000 fewer hospital admissions a year based on avoided A&E attendances, better heart failure management, and improved mental health care. The £20m savings would come from reducing medication errors, adverse drug reactions, and duplicate prescribing. Maternity and frailty care are expected to benefit from 2027.
All NHS providers, including hospitals and GPs, would share data so medical professionals can access a patient's medical history without the patient needing to repeat their issues. The change would join up community services and help people manage their conditions. Patients would have more control over their care, with clear safeguards, audit trails, and choice over how their data is used. Social care records and those from private healthcare providers working on behalf of the NHS would also be included.
The British Medical Association has called for doctors to remain in control of GP data rather than the DHSC, warning that any move to take control away from GPs would damage trust and risk confidentiality. Health Secretary James Murray stated that the system must be built with strict legal safeguards and strong cybersecurity protections to ensure public trust.
The bill also abolishes NHS England, transferring its functions to the DHSC to cut bureaucracy, and supports devolution of decision-making to local integrated care boards. NHS Online, a virtual hospital model launching in 2027, aims to provide the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years.
