Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change: Milestones for mission-led government, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, how he plans to measure the impact of digital transformation in the NHS; and what performance targets he has set for patient access to single health records.

Digital transformation offers substantial opportunities for the National Health Service to improve care outcomes and to lower cost, while improving the experience of patients. The impact of digital tools and programmes are measured individually, and organisations are required to identify, manage, actively track and report impacts, outcomes and benefits against agreed plans.

The Government has announced its intention to develop a Single Patient Record, and specific investment decisions and targets will be subject to the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan, Spending Review Phase 2, and further detailed work. The Government has continued to take action in the short term on joining up patient records, including investing £19.5 million in Shared Care Records.