This major investment marks a significant milestone in both trusts' digital transformation journeys and will support improvements to patient flow across Greater Manchester, aligning with the region's shared ambition for a fully digitally enabled future.
The new systems will provide better visibility of patient information, smoother transitions between hospital and community services, and a safer, more coordinated patient experience across the region, as well as provide the platform for future innovation, including the ability to embed AI capabilities directly into the clinical pathway to further enhance safety, efficiency and the quality of care.
By replacing multiple siloed health IT systems, legacy patient administration tools and core clinical systems, the Altera EPR will give clinicians a single, real‑time and accurate source of patient information supported by clinical decision tools. Currently, clinical teams must log into several systems to gather essential data, a process that consumes valuable time and increases the risk of duplication or inconsistencies.
The new integrated EPRs will enable staff to view and update the patient record at the point of care, which will help deliver significant time savings, enhance the reliability of information and strengthen patient safety across the organisations. By consolidating care into one unified platform, the trusts are expected to achieve substantial efficiency gains and free up clinical staff to spend more time on direct patient care.
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust become the latest NHS trusts to select Altera's EPR platform, following the successful recent go‑live at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The implementation also expands Altera's footprint across Greater Manchester to cover five out of its six acute NHS trusts.
Peter Nuttall, director of informatics for both trusts, said: ‘The implementation of a new EPR is a huge programme of work, which will involve all clinical services and provide a strong digital foundation for future care delivery and innovation. It's a defining moment for both organisations, which is why we're excited to get underway and provide clinical teams with up-to-date patient information at their fingertips so they can deliver quality care.'
Mark Hutchinson, executive vice-president at Altera Digital Health (UK & EMEA), said: "Partnering with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust on these important programmes reflects our shared commitment to delivering safer, more connected care through a modern, clinically led EPR across Greater Manchester. We will bring the full weight of our experience supporting NHS trusts, building on our recent successful implementations across the UK to help the trusts rapidly advance their digital maturity. Each of their decisions to select the Altera EPR, which has already achieved HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 in other parts of North West England, demonstrates their individual commitment to building a strong digital foundation for future care delivery and innovation."
