Disruption at Cochrane Medical Practice after GP software change
Staff at the Cochrane Medical Practice, based in the Greenock Health Centre, say their day-to-day work has been severely disrupted following the introduction of a new GP IT system. The practice, which serves around 15,000 patients, reports slower workflows, difficulty accessing records and an increased administrative burden since the switch from the previous EMIS system to Vision.
Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan met practice staff and has written to Scotland’s health secretary, Angela Constance, raising concerns about the rollout, the support provided to practices and the wider implications for patient care locally.
“Following a meeting at the practice, it is clear that staff have faced significant challenges during and after the transition from the previous EMIS system,”
Mr McMillan said the practice had described the new software as taking longer to use and making it harder to access patient information. He added that staff estimated that productivity had fallen substantially in the short term as they adapt to the change, and that the problems had contributed to backlogs and disruption for patients accessing services.
What staff say and what is being asked
According to the practice, the changeover has caused long waits for both appointments and prescriptions. A letter from the practice urged patients affected to contact their local MSP and directly blamed the Scottish Government for aspects of the rollout.
Mr McMillan’s correspondence with the health secretary requests detail on the decision to withdraw EMIS from Scotland, the process used to roll out Vision, what support was offered to practices before and after the upgrade, and whether there is a newer version of Vision in use elsewhere in the UK which might address the problems reported locally. He also highlighted that some larger surgeries in other areas had been permitted to defer the upgrade.
Practical impact and implications for patients
For patients, the immediate consequences reported include:
- Longer waits for appointments and prescription processing
- Potential delays in clinicians accessing full patient records
- Increased administrative time taken from consultation slots
These issues can affect continuity of care and the speed with which routine and urgent requests are handled. While temporary reductions in efficiency are not uncommon when practices move to new software, the practice team’s view is that the new system has not yet delivered improvements and, in the short term, has hampered service delivery.
| Practice | Registered patients | Previous system | New system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cochrane Medical Practice | 15,000 | EMIS | Vision |
Next steps and accountability
Mr McMillan has asked the health secretary for answers and for clarity on the level of support practices were given. The questions raised include whether practices could have been given more time or assistance ahead of the upgrade and whether rollout decisions considered local capacity to absorb system change without compromising patient services.
As correspondence progresses, patients and staff will be watching for formal responses from the Scottish Government and any remedial measures proposed to restore practice productivity and reduce delays. For now, the Cochrane Medical Practice remains open and continuing to provide care while staff adapt to the new system.
If you have been affected by delays at the practice, the practice’s letter encourages patients to contact their local MSP to report specific problems.
