Healthcare trust risk information visibility
The Department of Health and Social Care / NHS England should ensure that all healthcare trusts involved in the care of children and young people who are at risk of acts of violence against others have systems that ensure that:
1. Key information regarding current and historic risk information is readily visible to treating clinicians in a summarised form, where appropriate with suitable warning flags.
2. Where information comes in from other agencies that is relevant to the risk of violence to others, there are robust systems to ensure that the material is uploaded to or available on their own electronic patient records. Single points of failure leading to risk-relevant communications failing to be scanned need to be designed out.
- The government response states the Single Patient Record is being designed and scoped as part of the 10 Year Health Plan (Government Response to Phase 1 of the Southport Inquiry, CP 1623, Home Office, July 2026).
- A press release said legislation would enable NHS providers to share patient data securely, with clinicians in maternity and frailty care given early access to records from 2027 (Better patient care as NHS set to introduce single patient record, Department of Health and Social Care, 15 May 2026).
- A fact sheet stated the Health Bill provides the legislative framework for the single patient record, with patients able to view it via the NHS App from 2028 and full population access targeted by 2030 (Health Bill: single patient record fact sheet, Department of Health and Social Care, 19 May 2026).
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England are the lead organisations. Progress and next steps:
- The Single Patient Record is currently being designed and scoped.
- This is part of DHSC's 10 Year Health Plan for England, which was published on 3 July 2025.
Progress Timeline
Government response published 2 July 2026 (CP 1623). The government accepted this recommendation; the lead department reports implementation is in progress.
Awaiting government response. Phase 1 report published 13 April 2026.