One Year of encompass in Southern and Western Trusts: Transforming Health and Social Care Services
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May 8, 2026
Friday 8 May 2026 marks one year since both the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) and Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) implemented encompass, Northern Ireland’s digital health and social care record system.
This simultaneous Go-Live on 8 May 2025 represented a landmark moment for health and social care, completing the rollout of encompass across all five Health and Social Care Trusts and creating a single, integrated digital care record for the region. One year on, both Trusts are reflecting on the progress made and the impact encompass continues to have on patients, service users and staff.
Singe Go-Live, encompass has been embedded across services in both Trusts, transforming how patient and service user information is recorded, accessed and shared.
For staff, real-time access to accurate, up-to-date information in one place has improved communication across multidisciplinary teams, strengthened care co-ordination and supported faster, more informed clinical decision-making. Moving from multiple legacy systems and paper-based processes to a single digital record has also reduced duplication and released more time to focus on care.
From a clinical and operational perspective, teams across both Trusts report improved continuity of care, better decision-making and a more joined-up way of working across services.
Teresa Molloy, Director of Planning, Performance and Corporate Services and Senior Responsible Officer for encompass in Western Trust said: “The 8th of May 2025 marked the beginning of our encompass journey, and we are incredibly proud of our staff who have embraced this major change over the past year.
The transition to digital patient records has significantly enhanced our delivery of care, enabling improved safety and more efficient access to information for both patients and staff. The advantages were evident from the outset.”
Reflecting on the success of the past 12 months, Interim Programme Director of encompass for the Southern Trust, Siobhan Hanna, said: “We are extremely proud to have contributed to one of the most significant digital health and social care transformations of our time with the encompass Go-Live.
“One year on, encompass is really helping to reshape how health and social care is delivered in the Southern Trust – creating a more connected, efficient, and patient-centred system as part of everyday care.
Our Trust Vision and Strategy recognises the importance of broadening the use of digital technology to improve patient care.”
Page last updated: 8 May 2026