Gateshead, where practices have EMIS, has been trialling GP2GP since late 2005. Practices on the Isle of Wight with InPs started to use GP2GP from February 2006.

Both PCTs received intensive support from the GP2GP project team as the electronic record transfers were piloted for the first time. When transfers took place project staff shuttled between the sending and receiving practices in order to check that transfers had successfully taken place.

Clinicians in both areas have welcomed the new system:

Dr Bill Westwood, lead clinician for GP2GP within Gateshead PCT: "We have been using the GP2GP software in Gateshead for some time now... Generally, reaction to the concept has been positive.

"Where transfers have occurred there have been no problems with the accuracy of the clinical information transmitted and I am not aware of any clinical problems which have occurred as a result of transfer.

"The safety nets (requirement for authorisation of prescriptions and acknowledgement of allergies) have worked as they are supposed to. Whilst there have been problems in Gateshead (we were the first beta test site), these have been with getting the message to transfer, once transfer has occurred it seems to be a robust and reliable process."

Dr Rakesh Chopra, lead clinician for GP2GP within Isle of Wight PCT: "I am happy to state that I have no clinical issues as far as GP2GP transfers are concerned.

"The biggest advantage is that computer records are directly amalgamated into records at the receiving practice... It is easy to access all the previously entered historic data, findings, medication, immunisations, allergies, QOF data, and so on."

Read a case study from the Isle of Wight (PDF, 553Kb).