John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health. The Senator has referred to the development of an electronic health record at the new national children’s hospital and the broader digitalisation of patient records under the Digital for Care strategy.

Creating a secure, digital health records system for everyone, not just children, is a transformative opportunity for Ireland. At the core of this effort are the significant investments the Government is making in digital health solutions. These investments will bring lasting benefits over time. Already, our national maternity systems are fully deployed in all of Ireland's largest maternity hospitals. Today, more than 70% of babies born in Ireland have a digital health record.

Our investment in enterprise level electronic health record systems at the new national children’s hospital will result in the hospital itself being born digital.From day one, every child attending the new hospital will have a digital health record created for them. Their health information will be managed electronically. This means clinicians will have immediate access to accurate and up-to-date information no matter where they are working or where the patient is located. As a result, delays in diagnosis and treatment will be reduced. Repeat tests and wasted time will also be cut. Capturing data in digital form and providing parents with better access to that information will allow them to be more empowered to participate in the care provided to their own child. This is about more than technology; it is about better care, faster decisions and a more co-ordinated journey for children and their parents.

Implementation is complex and involves several critical stages: planning, system selection, customisation, training and deployment. I have been informed that the programme is progressing well and is already quite advanced. The design and configuration phases are complete and detailed system testing is under way. A training programme has been developed and forms an important part of the deployment of the system and the commissioning of the new hospital. After going live, optimisation will continue through 2026 and 2027 to ensure the system delivers maximum benefit.

When complete, this will be the most comprehensive health record deployment in the State, building, as it does, on the successful implementation of the health record systems at the major maternity hospitals, St. James’s Hospital in Dublin, the national forensics hospital and the National Rehabilitation Hospital. The programme at the new national children’s hospital is a flagship component of the new programme designed to enable integrated clinical workflows and support interoperability with other systems, laying the foundation for a truly national digital health record.

Investment in digital health technologies such as the EHR at CHI and the broader Digital for Care programme underpins the delivery of Sláintecare objectives. These initiatives are central to the Government’s commitment to modernise health services and harness digital technologies as a key enabler of reform and improved patient care. The EHR programme at Children’s Health Ireland complements other national initiatives described in Digital for Care such as the national shared care record and the recently launched HSE health app, which provides patients with secure access to their own health information online. Together, these developments form a co-ordinated phased approach to building a fully integrated digital health ecosystem for Ireland. I agree with the Senator that this will be a critical component going forward. As I have said, it is not just about technology. It is about ensuring joined-up thinking as regards health records across the system in order to improve patient outcomes, not just for children but for all patients across the health system.