Guernsey's electronic patient record update gets up to 拢20m funding

Image caption, Technical support for the States' current recording system will expire in March

Plans to spend up to 拢20m replacing Guernsey's existing electronic patient records have been approved.

The island's current system is from 2012 and technical support from provider InterSystems expires in March.

A policy letter put before deputies said the "effective delivery of modern healthcare" was dependent on "capable digital infrastructure".

But the allocation of the money from capital reserves is subject to the States also approving a business case.

Effective record systems enable the healthcare system to "efficiently and securely record, track and analyse patient data", the letter said.

A lack of "contractual support" for an "ageing and increasingly vulnerable system" had the potential to cause significant problems for healthcare on the island.

"System issues and downtime have the potential to weaken the States' ability to deliver health and care services, particularly in the hospital where the system is most relied upon," it added.

The proposal was drawn up by the Committee for Health and Social Care and the Policy and Resources Committee, who will also be responsible for submitting the business case.