To ask the Minister of Health (i) whether appropriate access to the Northern Ireland Electronic Care Record will be granted to all hospitals in Northern Ireland, in line with the Independent Neurology Inquiry; and (ii) from what date this access will be granted.

All healthcare professionals employed by Health and Social Care organisations (HSC) have access to the information held in the NI Emergency Care Record (NIECR) appropriate to their role.

Independent healthcare providers under contract to the HSC also have access to health and social care information, appropriate to the services provided.

Access to personal, sensitive information held on HSC systems is strictly governed. Access to patient information held on the NIECR by organisations not engaged by the HSC will require those organisations to demonstrate their ability to adhere to the strict cyber security standards, clinical governance standards and information governance standards in force within the HSC.

The Independent Neurology Inquiry highlighted the opportunities to enhance patient safety by encouraging those operating in the independent sector to maintain their records to the high standard obtained in the HSC and where possible to contribute to a single patient record. The report also recognised that it would be both equitable and necessary for the independent sector to contribute to costs of providing the NIECR system.

My Department has received initial overtures from independent health and social care providers on access to information held on the NIECR. Initial consideration on technical, clinical governance, information governance, cyber security requirements and potential access costs are under way.