An East Lancashire doctor says the proposed NHS reforms will improve maternity care.
The system, part of wider NHS reforms, is set to be introduced under the Government’s NHS Modernisation Bill.
The bill aims to make care more joined up and is expected to bring significant changes across England, including in Lancashire.
The proposed digital record will mean all NHS providers, including hospitals and GPs, are required to securely share patient data.
Dr Michael Cocker, consultant obstetrician at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said it will "set a new benchmark" for maternity care.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says this “single point of truth” will allow clinicians to access a patient’s full medical history, reducing duplication, improving safety, and saving time.
The system is expected to reduce A&E attendances by 20,000 each year by improving care for frail patients and reducing errors from misdiagnoses.
It is also anticipated to prevent around 6,000 hospital admissions annually through better management of long-term conditions and improved care coordination.
The DHSC estimates the system could save doctors around 500,000 hours a year by cutting down time spent searching for or re-entering patient data.
Health Secretary James Murray said: "When I was in my 20s, I was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition.
"I am now symptom-free and I get fantastic support from the NHS.
"But I know how much effort it can be to keep different parts of the health service joined up, and how distressing it is for some patients to repeat their medical history over and over.
"That’s why our single patient record is so important."
Pregnant women currently have to recall their full medical history at their first midwife appointment, often from memory, which can be distressing and lead to incomplete information—particularly for those who have experienced baby loss.
The single patient record will help ensure vital information is available to clinicians from the start.
The reforms will also see the abolition of NHS England, with most of its functions transferring to the DHSC or integrated care boards.
This change is intended to cut bureaucracy and free up resources for frontline care.
Meanwhile, NHS Online will launch in 2027.
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Chaired by John Browett, the trust will offer patients specialist care through the NHS app and video consultations.
The aim is to make care safer, more efficient, and less burdensome for both patients and NHS staff.
The NHS Modernisation bill is due for its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday.
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