Thousands of Hospital Letters May Have Been Missed by Jersey GPs After System Fault

Around 7,300 hospital discharge letters sent to GPs in Jersey may not have been received because of a technical problem affecting healthcare computer systems, officials have confirmed.

The Government of Jersey said the issue could have impacted approximately 27% of discharge letters issued since February. These letters provide GPs with important information about a patient’s hospital visit, including treatment received, medication details and any recommended follow-up care.

Health Minister Tom Binet said the problem was caused by an issue with third-party software used to connect hospital and GP computer systems. He confirmed that no patient data had been lost as a result of the fault.

Health department teams are working with local GPs to identify any patients who may have been affected and to resolve the issue.

Mr Binet apologised for the concern caused and said measures had been introduced to protect patient safety. The Emergency Department is now producing paper copies of discharge letters, which are being given to patients when they leave hospital.

GP practices will also receive a report to help them identify patients whose letters may not have reached them.

The Health Minister said islanders do not need to take any action at this stage.

He added that the incident highlighted the need to continue improving digital systems across Jersey’s health and social care services, with further investment planned to ensure medical information can be shared safely and reliably.