All social services files will now be kept electronically. To meet government requirments, all councils must switch over from paper to digital file systems by October this year.

The new system, Electronic Social Care Records, is exactly what it says on the tin. All files, including case notes, visit schedules and letters, will be kept on computer, rather than on paper. This includes past health records, such as allergies, current medication, pre-existing conditions and recent treatments. The information is accessible across England, so staff can have up-to-date information no matter how far the patient is from home.

Dudley Council, the first in the country to implement the new system, hosted 80 visitors from 37 local authorities over the weekend to learn about the ESCR and how it’s been working for them. According to local councillors, the feedback has been mostly positive.

Only authorised staff will be able to access records, however, it does offer immediate access to information, an improvement over the current paper system. Health Minister Lord Warner set out 12 commitments to ensure patients have control over their records and who will be allowed access. For example, patients will be able to close sections of their file from anyone—including NHS staff—except in emergency. While the government is promising data security and patient confidentiality, it is not yet known exactly how this will be achieved, or how patients will be able to control access.