Bolton NHS Foundation Trust District Nurse Referral Case Study

This case study details the implementation of a digital district nurse referral process at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust using the Sunrise™ Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system. The trust aimed to streamline the referral process, which was previously time-consuming and disjointed, involving multiple manual steps and paper forms. By integrating the referral process into the Sunrise EPR, the trust improved communication between acute and community care teams, enabling faster and more accurate referrals. The new system allows clinicians to access patient information directly, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks and minimizing the risk of errors. The case study outlines the challenges faced prior to implementation, including difficulties in locating referral forms and missing information, which led to delays in patient care. Post-implementation, the trust reported significant improvements in patient safety and care efficiency, with over 230 referrals processed in the first month alone. The study highlights the positive impact of digitization on healthcare workflows and patient outcomes.