Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. We have all had the experience of bringing a family member to or attending an accident and emergency unit or hospital where administrative staff scramble to locate files and get files from GPs. There has been some discourse by the Minister, and it is most welcome, around setting up a system of digitised health records for members of the public and patients. We have seen that service in other jurisdictions. I have returned from attending a meeting last week of the North-South Interparliamentary Association in Stormont and the Northern Ireland Executive has moved on digitising records.

I propose we look at beginning by introducing a national children's health record beginning with children born from next year or the year after but whenever the database can be established. The benefits of establishing such a record are immeasurable. The core principle is to create a single national digital record for every child, starting from birth registration. It would involve digitisation connecting all paediatric health data, so vaccinations, growth monitoring, allergies, hospital visits, and visits to GPs and consultants, on a single HSE portal and managed platform. The benefits of this from the point of view of patient safety, GPs and the health services more generally are immeasurable. The system would use existing identifiers such as the individual health identifier and the personal public service number, PPSN, for data consistency and integration. A national health record would also ensure that clinicians and parents can securely access the records of their children, with an audit trail of all activity. It would introduce an emergency break-glass feature that would allow access in trauma or critical care situations, with automatic alerts and reviews.

This could be implemented in three phases, starting with children under 12, adolescents up to 18, and finally full adult integration. Critically and most importantly, because it is operational in other EU jurisdictions, would be bringing the national health record into an open standards system so that it could operate right across the EU.

As I said, the public benefits would be immediate in terms of safety gains in emergency care, parents gaining confidence, and having the convenience of a single, trusted digitised portal that replaces all paper records and fragmented information. A new system would also reduce duplication and ensure fewer unnecessary tests, thus saving time, travel and anxiety for families. A new records system would also enhance the continuity of care. It would support preventative care through timely vaccination reminders and developmental milestone tracking for children. It would empower adolescents gradually by giving them access to their own records. It would also build digital literacy in terms of responsibility for health and improve public health data for vaccination rates, disease surveillance and child well-being research. From the Government's perspective, it would give data and provide invaluable data in terms of the longitudinal monitoring of health tracking throughout the population.

A digitised health record would be a win-win for the health system and the health and well-being of children. From a political point of view, a national health record would do wonders and be an important step forward in ensuring the efficiency and robustness of health services. Such a system has been introduced in other jurisdictions and it is timely that Ireland moves on this as a matter of urgency.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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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.

Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
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I really do welcome that update. It is certainly encouraging to see such progress being made. As I said in my opening remarks, it is critically important for the long-term health and well-being of our society, particularly for babies born after this system is up and running. That they will have the opportunity to have their health records online throughout their lives and having that integrated system that is interoperable between European countries is going to be absolutely vital. I welcome the update.

Separately, it is important that Government puts a communication plan in place to communicate to members of the public that this is happening, that it will be transformative, that it will be positive for health outcomes and that it will result in wider societal benefits. As I mentioned, it will also afford the opportunity to look at longitudinal health trends and respond accordingly with health and well-being plans for the wider public. I again thank the Minister of State for delivering that update on behalf of the Minister for Health. I look forward to seeing these proposals being rolled out.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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As I have said, the electronic health record is going to be critical in the time ahead to ensure that not just children but patients right across the health system have optimised care to ensure better clinical outcomes. It will allow us to ensure that, no matter where a patient is within the country or, as the Senator suggested, across the European Union, we will have that information. I take on board the Senator's points regarding communication, which I will take back to the Minister for Health. The best way to go about this is to capture children as they are being born and to build the system over time while retrofitting the existing system, in the hope it will all come together at a particular point. Significant work is ongoing in this particular area and it is going to be a critical part of our health system.