To ask the Minister of Health to detail any administrative support that is currently in place to mitigate any additional data entry burden placed on clinicians following the EpicCare Link implementation, including (i) whether clinicians are routinely required to input data previously completed by administrative staff; and (ii) any plans in place to rebalance this.

EpicCare Link is a component of the encompass system which provides authorised users with predominantly read‑only access to clinical information to support continuity of care. While the encompass system as a whole supports a wide range of clinical and operational processes across Health and Social Care, EpicCare Link is a specific component focused on information access and does not in itself drive these activities.

encompass system design has focused on supporting integrated digital workflows, enabling information to be captured once and reused across care settings, thereby reducing duplication and improving the availability of timely clinical information.

There is no expectation that clinicians will routinely undertake tasks previously performed by administrative staff. However, changes to workflows are inherent in the transition to digital systems, with clinicians required to input structured information at the point of care to support data quality and patient safety.

The impact of encompass on clinical workflows continues to be reviewed. Any required adjustments, including the balance of administrative and clinical tasks, are considered as part of the continuous improvement approach.