End of the eRedbook in north east London
It is with significant regret that following the decommissioning of the eRedbook across London from 31 Dec 2023, as part of the process of aligning the capital with a national strategy for the electronic sharing with parents/carers of key clinical details of their newborn baby, such as screening and immunisation, height and weight (a digital child health record) it will no longer be possible for NHS North East London to continue support the eRedbook arrangements in a meaningful way.
Whilst North East London colleagues have led the way in the implementation of the E-Redbook, over the last year eRedbook usage in general has dropped off. Families continue to receive a ‘hard copy’ of the redbook from their maternity provider, so the eRedbook is an addition rather than a replacement. Recent testing with primary care colleagues highlighted that families are still using the physical red book when attending GP appointments for recording of developmental checks and immunisations.
NHS England London is working with the eRedbook provider, Sitekit, during the exit process regarding data management to ensure full compliance with Data Protection Legislation once the contract has ended. The end of the pilot phase means the eRedbook facility to receive and store details of newborn screening, immunisation and other features will no longer be available for babies living in London.
Options for parents who have signed up to an eRedbook
SiteKit has provided parents and carers with information about their options concerning access to electronic information held in the eRedbook following the end of the contract. The options are:
- Continue using eRedbook for their own records – If parents/carers choose to continue using eRedbook for their own records, they should respond to the Sitekit email requesting consent which will follow in the coming weeks. If a parent/carer gives consent, Sitekit will become the data controller of the information in the eRedbook product and they will continue to retain all the information in the eRedbook.
- Download and keep a copy of the eRedbook up to 31 December 2023 – If parents/carers would like a copy of the eRedbook up to 31 December 2023, they can obtain a copy of the personal data by navigating to 1. Settings and selecting option 2. Get a backup of my data.
From 31 December 2023, parents/carers and health care professionals should use the paper redbook.
If parents/carers have not chosen one of these options by 31 December 2023, then the information held by Sitekit will be destroyed after 31December 2023.
PLEASE NOTE – A CHILD’S NHS CLINICAL RECORD WILL CONTINUE TO BE HELD BY THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS PROVIDING CARE FOR A CHILD.
Colleagues in 0-19 services are clearly disappointed as so much went into embedding and championing this digital offer, and it brought to life the work of the ICB in progressing its commitment to environmental sustainability. We are grateful to all colleagues who have engaged the eRedbook arrangements over the years.
What this will mean for your service:
- Families across North East London (Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest) will continue to receive and utilise the hard copy of the Redbook to receive and store parental copies of new-born screening, immunisation and other features relating to their child’s health and wellbeing.
- Please continue to use the hard copy of the redbook held by parents to record information in collaboration with NHS clinical electronic records systems.
- IF a parent did not receive a hard copy redbook, they can obtain one from their health visiting service. Health visiting services should ensure that they order sufficient hard copy redbooks to facilitate this
NHS England London are also circulating communications to local health care professionals (midwifery services, health visiting services and primary care/practice nurses).
As further national developments in the digital child health record programme take place, we will of course engage and update you all accordingly.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Yours sincerely
Dr Paul Gilluley
Chief Medical Officer
NHS North East London
Kath Evans
Director of Children’s Nursing, Barts Health
Clinical Lead for Babies, Children and Young People NHS North East London