Chamber and committees

Fantastic. Is it more about having a cloud-based system so that all the different systems that are used by different health professionals—and beyond that, as well, into alternative pathways—can connect into one cloud-based platform, rather than having one system that runs right the way through and is the same everywhere?

Thank you, convener. I want to pick up on some of what Roseann Logan said and I was going to direct my question to Christiana, although both of you might want to comment. How widely is the ALISS database being used? Is it the right system? Should we be investing in it and ramping it up, or should we look at whether something more local would work a bit better?

I would like to come back on that answer. Dr Perry addressed many of the points that I had written down. It is interesting to hear that work is already being done to look at a central, cloud-based platform.

At last week’s meeting, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society talked about the need to be able both to add information to the patient record and to access information on it. Is the ability to do that included in the pilots that are taking place?

I want to dig a wee bit more into the issues that Paul O’Kane has raised. The big picture really matters. The GP relationship is established over many years, and it is important to many patients. GPs know their patients and their circumstances, and that relationship allows GPs to have the sensitive discussions that patients might otherwise be unwilling to have.

We have talked about the fact that there should be no wrong door. This might be a question for Clare Morrison and Jess Sussmann initially. Is it realistic for a variety of organisations to have someone who is the key person—the trusted person—to the individual patient, who offers continuity and helps the patient to get access to all the primary care services?

I am not undermining the GP’s place at all, but we tend to find that individuals will have a particular person whom they connect with, especially as they get older. That will be their go-to person for advice, who could say to them, “You really need to see your GP about that,” or “It would be a really good idea to go to your pharmacist.”

We have talked about link workers. We do not have them everywhere just now, and that is perhaps part of the issue. Realistically, patients will probably choose their own key person or go-to person.

Thank you—[Inaudible.] That is great. It is helpful to know that those referral pathways work in primary care services and beyond.

They trust that person, and they feel that they can rely on them.

How realistic is it for that to happen? Is that understood, and is that part of the system? We talk about the no wrong door policy, but there is also a push to get patients to go in the right direction, either on their own or through a link worker.

Yes, I do. It is clear that all the witnesses agree that such a record would be transformational and a massive benefit. Where are we right now on patient record sharing? What progress do you see on plans to improve that? What plans are coming along in the future, and what has come in so far?

Is there any sign of those issues abating? Are there any plans to rectify the situation, as far as you are aware?

The Healthcare Improvement Scotland practice administrative staff collaborative has seemed to improve triage and referral to the appropriate professionals. Could that be rolled out more widely?