New software could improve patient safety

Graham Poulter, managing director of Wetherby-based Blackbox Medical, has created a system which enables GPs and hospitals across England to work together to ensure patient discharge information is monitored for accuracy.

The BlackBox Clinical Data Validation and GP Notification Alert aims to solve the problem of inaccurate, late or non-existent discharge information from hospitals.

Mr Poulter, who issued a White Paper on what it can achieve, said: “The lack of accurate patient discharge information from hospitals has been one of the most serious problems within the NHS for far too long.”

He added: “Now local partnerships between GP Practices, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Commissioning Support Units can swiftly resolve fundamental operational issues which undermine patient safety.

“There is no longer any excuse for accepting poor or non-existent discharge information, in the general practice clinical records”.

Mr Poulter said he was ‘absolutely delighted’ by the initial reaction to the software.

“The speed and positivity of the response to our software has been immensely rewarding. Medical professionals from across the country, from the North East, to the Midlands and London have told us this is exactly what they have been waiting for and we are in detailed talks with a number of them to implement our software,” he said.

The team behind BlackBox has spent over 15 years the medical software sector. It designed and developed the range of iQ Medical products which are in use by over 3,500 GP practices.