7,300 hospital discharge letters may not have reached GPs after IT glitch

Health has issued an apology after it emerged today that more than a quarter of hospital discharge letters sent since February may never have reached GP practices because of an IT problem – meaning thousands of Islanders may not have received appropriate follow-up care.

Health Minister Tom Binet said in a statement this afternoon that approximately 7,300 discharge letters – accounting for around 27% of those produced since February – may not have been received electronically by practices.

What are discharge letters?

Discharge summaries are issued when someone leaves hospital.

They are important because they provide valuable information to family doctors about why patients attended hospital in the first place, what treatment or advice they received while there, whether there were any changes to medication, and, crucially, whether further tests, referrals or follow-up appointments are needed.

What caused the glitch?

According to the statement, the “issue is with third-party software which links the hospital and GP computer systems”.

Senator Binet stressed that it is “not an error in either the hospital or GP electronic patient record systems” and that “no data has been lost as a result of this issue”.

“The discharge letters remain available and work is underway to make sure GP practices receive the information they need,” he said.

Senator Binet said the incident underlined the “importance of improving digital systems across health and social care, and why investment is being made to improve the sharing of medical information safely and reliably”.

What happens now?

GP surgeries are due to receive reports tomorrow (Thursday) to help identify patients whose discharge letters may not have arrived.

Doctors will review the information and will contact patients “directly” if they believe any follow-up is required, the minister said.

Meanwhile, the Emergency Department has begun issuing paper discharge letters for patients to take home while the electronic link is being resolved.

Do patients need to do anything?

Health officials say no, and Islanders are not being asked to contact their GP or the Hospital.

“We apologise for any concern this may cause,” Senator Binet said.

“We are working as quickly as possible to restore fully reliable links and ensure that GP practices consistently receive electronic discharge summaries,” he added.

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