Patients to get more joined-up mental health care
Patients receiving mental health and learning disability care across Greater Manchester will experience fewer gaps in their care, as Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust publish a joint digital and data strategy - a first for the two organisations.
The five-year strategy makes a clear commitment that organisational boundaries will not represent barriers to care. The strategy sets out an ambition to end the experience of patients having to repeat their care history or carry information between appointments. As systems become better connected over the coming years, care teams will be able to communicate more effectively, and moving between services will become smoother.
In time, digital tools will give patients clearer information about their care, easier ways to contact their care team, and greater ability to manage appointments and access their own records - available through the NHS App and a patient portal. Non-digital routes will always remain available, and all services will be designed to be inclusive for older people, those with disabilities, and anyone with lower digital confidence.
Staff can expect modern systems designed around how they actually work. The strategy is a direct response to frustrations with outdated technology and time lost to unnecessary administration, with investment planned in digital tools that support rather than slow down clinical and operational teams. At its heart is a shared electronic patient record programme, which aims to give clinical teams access to the information they need.
Staff will have opportunities to test new tools, give feedback, and shape what gets built. Digital skills development will be embedded in the wider learning offer across both organisations.
Monique Duffy-Brogan, chief information officer at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust says: "For too long, patients moving between our services have had to repeat their history and navigate gaps that should never exist. This strategy sets out our ambition to change that - so that within the next five years, the digital infrastructure underpinning care across both organisations works as seamlessly as we want our care to. This is a significant commitment and one we are determined to deliver."
Alistair Reid-Pearson, chief information officer at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust adds: "We know that the best outcomes come when care is truly connected. By aligning our digital and data ambitions with Pennine Care, we are setting out a shared vision - one where clinical teams have the right information at the right time, and patients spend less time repeating themselves and more time getting the support they need. We are at the start of that journey, and this strategy is our roadmap."
The strategy supports the NHS's ambition - set out in the ten-year plan - to move from analogue to digital. It will also build the infrastructure needed for high-quality mental health research and aims to reduce waste by freeing up resources for frontline care.
Priorities for 2026/27 include continuing to pilot the patient portal, completing the roll-out of the electronic prescribing and medicines administration system, and completing a joint outline business case for the electronic patient record procurement.
Click the link to the read the strategy: Trust strategies and plans | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT
