Patient record system goes live across Northern Ireland

All citizens in Northern Ireland are now able to access a single digital care record, following roll-out of the encompass patient record system at the final two health and care trusts. 

Southern Health and Social Care Trust and Western Health and Social Care Trust went live with encompass on 8 May 2025, enabling anyone who receives health and social care to access the My Care patient portal.

It follows roll-outs at South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in November 2023, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in June 2024 and Northern Health and Social Care Trust in November 2024.

Mike Nesbitt, health minister for Northern Ireland, said: “Today marks a significant milestone in Northern Ireland’s health and social care service, as the final two health trusts go live on encompass.

“Its introduction across the trusts places Health and Social Care (HSC) Northern Ireland in the forefront of digital transformation of health service delivery.

“This has been a concerted effort across the whole of the health and social care system since it was first announced in 2020, and I want to sincerely thank each of those who have played a key role in getting us here.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and has allowed Northern Ireland to modernise our systems and fundamentally improve how we deliver care.”

The My Care portal was created to coincide with the move from paper patient records to electronic patient records (EPRs), through the encompass initiative.

Patients and service users are able to access their health information via the My Care app or web page by creating an account.

They can continue to receive traditional communication such as paper appointment letters alongside My Care and are able to permit proxy access to third parties such as a carer or family member to assist with managing their care if they wish.

The Northern Ireland health and social care service partnered with Epic to build encompass, taking the best processes and software from the world’s leading hospital organisations and tailoring it to the needs of Northern Ireland.

Dr Dermot Hughes, the senior responsible owner for encompass, said: “This outcome is the result of many years of hard work and collaboration by thousands of staff, within trusts, the core encompass team, the Business Services Organisation and the Digital Health and Care Northern Ireland.

“I thank everyone involved for their commitment and expertise.

“encompass will transform how we deliver care by making it safer, more connected and more patient-centric and by ensuring that the right information is available at the right time.

“It will transform patient experience and patient information.

“This is a proud day for the health and social care service and a powerful step towards a healthier future for all in Northern Ireland.”

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s blood transfusion service migrated from its 15-year-old laboratory information system to Clinisys WinPath in June 2024, with the aim of creating a single technology platform.