GP practices across England can now access new technology with the introduction of the first new core IT system for 25 years.

‘As part of reforms to increase competition and innovation in the market’, NHS England has approved the first of a new generation of electronic patient record systems for GPs – with more suppliers expected to be made available later this year. NHSE says the cloud-based technology will support the integration of primary care with other settings, including care homes and vaccination centres, and can be used on different devices such as tablets – ‘supporting the delivery of neighbourhood care and helping doctors to best meet their patients’ needs’. NHS leaders described the move as ‘the first shake-up of the GP IT market in a quarter of a century’, with increased competition in the sector helping the NHS to boost productivity and reduce admin time for staff.

In recent years, GP practices in England have largely had a choice of just two suppliers for the IT system they use to manage patient care. Now, a new core clinical IT system created by Medicus Health is available to practices across the country – with the system already live in four early-adopting sites, serving over 42,000 patients in total. This is the first new supplier to be fully assured through NHS England’s Tech Innovation Framework, which the organisation says ensures that new products are fully compliant on information governance, clinical safety and data protection, while integrating with NHS infrastructure such as the Electronic Prescription Service, NHS e-Referral Service, and NHS App.

Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS National director of Primary Care and Community Services ), said: “This new generation of systems is the first shake-up of the GP IT market we have seen in a quarter of a century, and this shift will help unlock more modern, joined-up care for patients, and help our staff to work better and smarter. It also shows our ongoing commitment to ensuring that the NHS has access to the highest quality digital tools to transform the experience of patients and staff.”

Medicus Health integrates with 24 national NHS services, and is the first to implement five new national open standards for information exchange, including for electronic prescriptions and referrals. More than 25 Integrated Care Boards are exploring how they can support adoption of these new systems, with interest growing across the country.

It is expected that more core GP IT systems that meet the standards of the Tech Innovation Framework will become available by April 2026.