Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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318. To ask the Minister for Health the current plans in place to modernise the health system by moving from paper-based patient records to electronic health documentation; the time frame for the roll-out of a national electronic health record system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54158/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030 reflects the changing landscape of health and social care in Ireland and sets out a roadmap to digitally transform health services and improve access for patients. This framework, combined with the corresponding HSE implementation roadmap, sets out a very clear path for the full digitisation of healthcare records and information systems in Ireland, as stated in the Programme for Government.

This transformation represents a fundamental shift away from traditional paper-based patient records towards modern, integrated electronic health documentation. By replacing fragmented paper systems with secure, interoperable digital records, the framework aims to deliver better continuity of care, enhance patient safety, and enable clinicians to access accurate information in real time.

Implementation of Ireland’s Digital for Care strategy is progressing at pace following its publication in May 2024. It sets out vision to enable better health outcomes through seamless, safe, secure, and connected digital health services that support both patients and providers. This vision is grounded in the principles of Sláintecare.

On foot of the publication of Digital for Care and the commitment under the Programme for Government to ‘continue to work towards the full digitisation of Irish healthcare records and information systems’.  Ireland is pursuing a three-step approach to the delivery of electronic health records in Ireland, comprising a National Patient App, the National Shared Care Record and an enterprise level Electronic Health Record that will be centrally procured and configured, but regionally deployed and owned by each of the six health regions.

Launched in February 2025, the HSE Health app has now been downloaded by 140,000+ people, with 91,524 users accessing their personal health information. The v3.0 (in August 2025) release significantly expands coverage—over 1.3 million appointments for more than 870,000 patients will be visible in-app—alongside feature upgrades that deepen patient engagement and reduce missed appointments. The app has also been recognised with three national awards in 2025, underscoring its role in empowering patients and improving access. The app has been co-designed with a wide range of people who use our services, staff, and advocacy organisations, who have been active partners throughout the process. Future app features will be guided by ongoing research and engagement with patients, staff, advocacy organisations, and the public.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) completed the procurement for the National Shared Care Record (NSCR) earlier this year. The NSCR programme has now been mobilized, with the contract for building the NSCR technology platform awarded to EY, Better and Kainos. The NSCR brings together healthcare information from various sources such as hospitals, GP practices, and Community care into a single place, making them available at the point of care and self-care in read only format. By having access to key healthcare information in one place means healthcare professionals will be able to make more informed, safer decisions and to focus more time on direct patient care while patients will be better informed and empowered to manage their own healthcare.

The technology underpinning the National Shared Care Record was procured in 2024 (contract Q1 2025) and a phased roll-out of the national shared care record is due to commence in Q4 2025 in the South-East region with University Hospital Waterford and surrounding community areas. The system will then extend to other regions from 2026 with additional patient data /information being added over time. Together with the HSE Health App, investing in a NSCR means unlocking fragmented data into a powerful tool for safer, coordinated patient-centred care while laying the foundation for a modern, connected and more efficient health service as we plan for a National Electronic Health Record.

The Enterprise Electronic Health Record (EHR) is intended to support integrated care across all settings. A preliminary business case (PBC) for the National EHR has been developed by the HSE, setting out the case for the most ambitious transformation programme in the history of the health service. In accordance with DPER’s infrastructure guidelines the EHR PBC went through an independent, external assurance process (EAP) review in July and was considered COMPLIANT in all areas. There were a series of recommendations arising from the EAP process and these were accepted and will be implemented. Also, in accordance with Infrastructure Guidelines, the PBC and EAP report were reviewed by the Major Projects Advisory Group (MPAG). We are continuing to engage with DPER as part of this process for major capital investment programmes.  

A national enterprise EHR will allow healthcare staff to access a patient’s full medical history to support timely and appropriate care, with the ability to update information in real time. EHRs not only provide a complete digital health record of a patient’s health journey, recorded by healthcare professionals across all health and social care settings, they also incorporate workflow capabilities to automate the patient pathway and facilitate the implementation of standardised models of care. This means the EHR can map out the next steps in a patient’s treatment plan in the various care setting and support automatic referrals, ordering of diagnostics, lab tests, etc. To realise the benefits of an investment in EHRs, they must be underpinned by a clear roadmap, agreed up-front interoperability and data standards, appropriate governance and a robust business case. Deploying an EHR is not just about the technology. These are significant change programmes to transform and move from a paper based to a digitised care model.

The national EHR will be implemented across Health Regions and designed to interoperate with existing systems in acute and community services. Delivering an enterprise level EHR such as this, in every one of the six health regions, is a major undertaking and represents a significant investment by the state. Multiyear funding as part of the National Development Plan is required to ensure financing is secured, sequenced and managed against clear milestones. Delivery of the EHR is not a digital project. It is a large-scale transformation project that will be delivered through the State’s Infrastructure Guidelines process, with appropriate levels of assurance and governance.

A PIN (Prior Information Notice) was published in June 2025 informing EHR suppliers about the health service's interest in a national enterprise-level EHR systems. This process is open to all potential vendors willing to engage through this process. The consultation seeks supplier input to inform the upcoming procurement, with a contract award expected by the end of 2026 and phased implementation through to 2032.

In another important step on our way to digitised patient records, in May the HSE published the tender for the delivery of a National Electronic Prescribing (NEP) service with vendors currently being shortlisted. The new fully integrated e-prescription service will enable the secure and efficient transmission and storage of electronic prescriptions and dispensations for patients.  Digital versions of medications information is a foundational component of a digital health record and importantly, a key starting point for national health services on a journey to deliver wider electronic health records for all.  Data from this service (prescription and dispensing data) will be available through the HSE Health App and the NSCR in the future.