Military records are to be digitised and integrated with the NHS for the first time, in a move which will boost recruitment, improve deployability and transform the experience for recruits and service leavers.
Archaic paper-based records, which date back decades, will be scraped and replaced with a modern digital system, already widely used by the NHS.
Currently, transferring health records between the NHS and Defence Medical Services relies on time-consuming paperwork that slows recruitment and harms how quickly personnel can be deployed on operations. Similarly, when leaving the military, service leavers will also have a seamless transition.
The MOD has awarded a £7.8 million contract to Leeds-based software company The Phoenix Partnership for the new tech. By 2027, the new system will help get recruits through the door and into training faster, and ensuring serving personnel are ready when needed.
Minister for Veterans People, Louise Sandher-Jones MP said
Our Armed Forces deserve a healthcare system as modern as they are. For too long, paper-based records have slowed down recruitment and created unnecessary headaches for those leaving the military.
This new system will cut through the bureaucracy, getting recruits into uniform faster and ensuring veterans transition smoothly to civilian life. It’s a concrete example of this government delivering on our promise to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve – and proof that defence investment means British jobs and British growth.
For service leavers, the change delivers the government’s promise to renew the contract with those who serve and have served. Personnel transitioning to civilian life will no longer face the burden of chasing paperwork or waiting for health records to reach their NHS providers.
The contract demonstrates how the Defence Industrial Strategy is making defence an engine for growth, supporting innovation and jobs across the UK and increasing MOD spending with small and medium enterprises.
This builds on the recent award of a £2.5 million contract for the Mercury application, which enables Defence medics to securely access military medical records during operations and exercises. Both contracts have been overseen by Programme Cortisone, a Defence Medical Services and Defence Digital initiative to replace outdated systems with a secure, modern platform.
CEO at The Phoenix Partnership, Charlotte Knowles said
We are extremely proud that the Ministry of Defence has chosen our modern electronic health record system. It is an immense honour to support the delivery of GP, community and rehabilitation services for our Armed Forces and their families, across all four nations of the UK. It is a privilege to be able to help those who serve our country. The partnership between the Ministry of Defence and TPP will deliver the world’s most advanced digital health platform for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force – now and into the future.
We are excited to help deliver Programme CORTISONE. It will foster deeper collaboration between the Ministry of Defence and the NHS – providing insight, innovation and continuous improvements in care delivery.
Commander Defence Primary Healthcare, Surgeon Commodore Andy Nelstrop, said
This is fantastic news. The Phoenix Partnership is a market leader, with a proven track record in NHS Primary Care, and I look forward to working with them to improve our medical information systems. This will lead us to safer, more effective and better connected care provision for our patients.
Commander Cyber & Specialist Operations Command, General Sir Jim Hockenhull, said
Modern, secure digital systems are essential to maintaining a deployable and ready force. This new electronic health records system will give our Armed Forces the digital infrastructure they need – speeding up recruitment, improving the flow of information, and ensuring our people can focus on the mission rather than paperwork. It’s exactly the kind of modernisation we need to keep pace with the threats we face.
In November, the government rolled out a new NHS programme to ensure veterans, serving personnel, reservists and their families to receive better healthcare in recognition of their service.
The new programme – backed by £1.8 million over 3 years – is being rolled out across England to ensure NHS staff across the country are trained to deliver personalised and targeted healthcare to armed forces personnel and their families.
The national training and education plan will support all NHS bodies to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
This will ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged because of their service in the armed forces, and reduce inequalities and variation in veterans’ healthcare.