Most NHS Trusts Still Using Pen and Paper for Patient Records, BMJ Finds

A paperless NHS — long a stated ambition for health services across England, including those serving Kent — remains far from reality, The BMJ’s investigation suggests. Around 80% of NHS trusts are still relying on handwritten notes and paper files rather than fully digital systems, the journal found.

The finding raises practical questions for patients across the county. Paper records can slow the sharing of information between departments, GP surgeries, and hospital wards — meaning clinicians may not always have a complete picture of a patient’s history when they need it most.

It’s a gap that has persisted despite years of NHS digitalisation targets. And it isn’t a small minority holding back progress — four fifths is the overwhelming picture nationally, according to The BMJ’s reporting.

The BMJ has not named individual trusts in the tweet, so it is not yet clear where Kent and Medway NHS organisations sit within that figure. Readers with concerns about their own care or medical records can contact their GP practice directly, or call NHS 111 for general health queries.