Digital Health Record could unlock expansion of Pharmacy First, Says CCA-backed Tony Blair Institute

The Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) has voiced strong support for a recent report from the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), which advocates for the
establishment of a ‘Digital Health Record’ (DHR) for every individual in the UK.

The CCA, which was interviewed as part of the report’s development, believes that the creation of a DHR could significantly enhance the NHS’s efficiency,
improve preventative healthcare, and help the health service harness the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI).

The TBI report highlights that the current health and care system suffers from fragmented data, with individual records scattered across various providers,
including community pharmacies.

This siloed approach often hampers the delivery of seamless and effective care.

A unified DHR, the report argues, would consolidate all relevant health data into a single, accessible record, ensuring that patients receive timely and
appropriate care across the entire healthcare system.