Sussex Hospitals To Launch Major Digital Upgrade With New Electronic Patient Records

Hospitals across Sussex are preparing for a major digital upgrade designed to improve patient safety and provide more joined-up care.

University Hospitals Sussex (UHSussex) has selected a supplier to deliver a new electronic patient record (EPR) system across all of its hospitals, marking a key milestone in the Trust’s long-term Excellent Care Everywhere strategy.

The EPR programme is one of the biggest elements of a £100 million investment to modernise services for communities in Brighton, Worthing, Chichester, Haywards Heath and surrounding areas.

Currently, many hospital teams still rely on paper records or older computer systems that do not always connect. The new EPR will replace these with a single, secure digital record for each patient, allowing staff to access the same up-to-date information wherever care is provided.

The Trust says this will support quicker decision-making and safer care.

Roxanne Smith, Chief Strategy Officer at UHSussex, described the decision as a major achievement.

She said:

“Reaching this point is a big achievement for an organisation of our size and complexity.

"More than 1,500 staff helped shape what we need from an electronic patient record, with a further 150 involved in selecting the right solution.

“Our patients are at the centre of every decision we make, and moving to a single electronic patient record will have a real impact on safety, quality of care and outcomes.

"For a large, busy Trust caring for communities across Sussex, moving from analogue to digital is essential if we are to deliver Excellent Care Everywhere.”

She added that the new system will allow information to be shared more securely and efficiently across hospitals and with partners such as GPs and mental health services, helping to reduce duplication and improve consistency of care.

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

UHSussex says the new EPR will help address these issues by ensuring clinicians have access to the same records wherever a patient is treated.

The system will also support the safe use of digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to help staff identify risks earlier and prioritise care more effectively.

Preparation work will continue throughout 2026, with a phased rollout from 2027.

The Trust says the gradual approach will ensure the system is safe, secure and reliable before being used in clinical settings.

UHSussex says the new electronic patient record will ultimately make care safer, simpler and more consistent for patients across Sussex.