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Responses > Ophthalmology IT Systems and Imaging Capabilities

Freedom of Information request Ophthalmology IT Systems and Imaging Capabilities

Response published: 1 April 2025

FOI Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information regarding the ophthalmology services and IT systems used within your Trust: Ophthalmology Department & IT Record System 1. Does your Trust have an ophthalmology department and/or provide ophthalmology clinics? 2. If so, what is the name of the principal IT record system used to document results from patient consultations within ophthalmology? Imaging Capabilities & System Integration 3. Does the principal IT system allow clinicians to view images from scans conducted during a clinic visit? 4. Are there any types of medical images that cannot be imported into this principal IT system? If so: • What is the name of the IT programme used by clinicians to view these images? • What is the name of the scan/modality that generates these images? Data Integration with National Systems 5. Does the principal IT system integrate with the NHS Spine or other national patient record systems (e.g., OpenEyes, Medisoft, Epic)? 6. Does the system support the exchange of structured data with other NHS Trusts or external healthcare providers? Patient Access & Communication 7. Does the system allow patients to access their ophthalmology records, including images, via the NHS App or another patient portal? 8. Are there any restrictions on how imaging data can be shared with patients and external providers? Image Storage & Viewing Capabilities 9. What is the storage capacity and retention policy for ophthalmology-related imaging within the IT system? 10. If images are not viewable within the principal IT system, does the Trust use a separate PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) for ophthalmology imaging? Future IT Developments & Interoperability 11. Is the Trust planning any upgrades or changes to its ophthalmology IT infrastructure in the next five years? 12. Are there known interoperability challenges that affect the transfer of ophthalmology data within the Trust or between NHS organizations?

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 395-2025

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I would like to request the following information regarding the ophthalmology services and IT systems used within your Trust:

Ophthalmology Department & IT Record System

  1. Does your Trust have an ophthalmology department and/or provide ophthalmology clinics?
  2. If so, what is the name of the principal IT record system used to document results from patient consultations within ophthalmology?

Imaging Capabilities & System Integration

  1. Does the principal IT system allow clinicians to view images from scans conducted during a clinic visit?
  2. Are there any types of medical images that cannot be imported into this principal IT system? If so:
  • What is the name of the IT programme used by clinicians to view these images?
  • What is the name of the scan/modality that generates these images?

Data Integration with National Systems

  1. Does the principal IT system integrate with the NHS Spine or other national patient record systems (e.g., OpenEyes, Medisoft, Epic)?
  2. Does the system support the exchange of structured data with other NHS Trusts or external healthcare providers?

Patient Access & Communication

  1. Does the system allow patients to access their ophthalmology records, including images, via the NHS App or another patient portal?
  2. Are there any restrictions on how imaging data can be shared with patients and external providers?

Image Storage & Viewing Capabilities

  1. What is the storage capacity and retention policy for ophthalmology-related imaging within the IT system?
  2. If images are not viewable within the principal IT system, does the Trust use a separate PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) for ophthalmology imaging?

Future IT Developments & Interoperability

  1. Is the Trust planning any upgrades or changes to its ophthalmology IT infrastructure in the next five years?
  2. Are there known interoperability challenges that affect the transfer of ophthalmology data within the Trust or between NHS organizations?

Our response:

The Trust does not provide the services mentioned on your request. Please contact Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Next steps:

Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:

Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.