Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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909. To ask the Minister for Health when all healthcare facilities in Sligo, including Sligo University Hospital, will use digitised health records, as set out under the digital health strategy, ’Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55448/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are actively progressing the implementation of 'Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030,' which sets out a comprehensive roadmap to digitally transform health services nationwide, including the adoption of digitised health records across all healthcare facilities.

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. 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. Version 3.0 of the app released in August 2025 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 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 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.

The timeline for complete digitisation across all Sligo healthcare facilities is linked to ongoing phased national roll-outs, infrastructure readiness, and resource allocation, with the goal to achieve a fully integrated digital health ecosystem by 2030. This effort directly supports the broader objectives of Digital for Care by enhancing integrated, data-driven, and patient-centred care.

The HSE has identified that significant upgrades to infrastructure, including network capacity and WiFi connectivity, are required in many of our hospitals in advance of EHR deployments. We are aware of the specific requirements at Sligo University Hospital in this regard, and plans are in place to address these infrastructural deficits in the short term to ensure the hospital is prepared for its transition.

I can assure the Deputy that the delivery of a modern, digital health infrastructure for all regions, including Sligo, remains a key objective. The 'Digital for Care' framework, supported by significant capital investment, provides the strategic pathway to achieve this vision over the coming years.