General Practice Extraction Service

The General practice Extraction Service (GPES) is a centrally managed primary care data extraction service that extracts information from GP IT systems for a range of purposes at a national level. It also forms part of the new process to provide payments to GPs and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). GPES is of vital strategic importance and plays an essential role in the NHS's information needs

GPES overview

The General practice Extraction Service (GPES) is a centrally managed primary care data extraction service that will, for the first time, extract information from GP IT systems for a range of purposes at a national level.

How will it work?

GPES is the only national means of extracting primary care data from general practice systems.It comprises two main parts and is being delivered by a number of IT services organisations. ATOS  have been awarded the contract to provide the tool that will produce the extract queries, whilst the extractions themselves will be conducted by the GP practice system suppliers - EMIS .

Why is GPES being developed?

GP patient records are the most complete record of a patient's health within the NHS. They contain a wealth of information about patient care and provide a vital insight into the nation's health. GP patient records are currently extracted using a variety of systems that are both technically complex and resource intensive. GPES will resolve this issue by centralising the data query and extraction services, removing the complex scheduling processes and reducing the burden on practice staff.

By improving access to primary care data for the NHS and other approved organisations, GPES will support a diverse range of services and initiatives that aim to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness.

GPES benefits

GPES has the potential to improve patient care by coordinating a standardised picture of information from GP clinical systems across England. By making this information available to the NHS and other approved organisations GPES will support a diverse range of services and initiatives that aim to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness.

Potential patient benefits include:

·  improving the screening of patients for serious conditions and therefore enabling treatments to be delivered quicker and more efficiently

·  better patient safety

·  better visibility of major public health issues (e.g. enabling the NHS to monitor flu outbreaks and deliver services where they are needed); and

·  a greater insight into the uptake of vital medicines.