NHS patients to benefit from £100m digital upgrade

Hospitals across Sussex are preparing for a major digital upgrade they say will support safer, more joined-up care for patients.

Electronic patient records (EPR) will replace paper notes or older computer systems with one secure digital record held for each patient, University Hospitals Sussex (UHSussex) has said.

The trust said its "journey to a fully-integrated EPR system" was a "significant and complex process" that would unfold over the next 12 years but it was "dedicated to getting right" for patients and staff.

Roxanne Smith, chief strategy officer, said the decision represented a "big achievement".

Patients often find they are asked the same questions by different clinicians, or that information does not always follow them between appointments.

It is hoped the digital upgrade will address this.

Smith described it as a cornerstone of the trust's strategy.

She said: "It will help us share information more securely and efficiently across our hospitals and with partners such as GPs and mental health services, reducing duplication, improving consistency, and supporting better joined-up care for our communities."

The upgrade is a part of UHSussex's long‑term plan, Excellent Care Everywhere, a £100m programme to modernise services for people living in Brighton, Worthing, Chichester, Haywards Heath and surrounding areas.

Work to prepare for the new system will continue throughout 2026, with a phased rollout beginning in 2027.

The trust said this careful approach would ensure the system was safe, secure and reliable before it was used in clinical settings.

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