With cutover weekend just three weeks away (it all starts in the evening of Friday 28 April), our EPR Friends have been having their final training sessions and briefings explaining how they and many others will be supporting colleagues at this crucial time.
EPR Friends Lead Emma Flowers (pictured far right) and Lead Modernisation Nurse, Jackie Murphy recently held the first of three sessions, reassuring Friends about their role, which is to support their colleagues when they encounter issues with EPR. They'll work closely with the floor walkers and experts from Cerner as a "first line" to help colleagues in using EPR with confidence.
Emma, said: "EPR Friends aren't expected to know all the answers, though they'll have had more exposure to EPR than some, so they'll be helping with the more routine questions, whilst they'll look to the experts for the tricky stuff.
She added "The floor walkers do this for a living - they live and breath this and are sent around the country based on their experience and expertise. So someone with admin knowledge wouldn't support a clinical department for example.
"Your EPR Friend is on hand to make sure that you get help from an expert quickly, meaning you can complete your tasks and feel confident in using the system. Above all, they will support you when things may not be going as smoothly as you’d like - particularly important during the early days of using EPR".
Three EPR Friends took to Facebook recently to say how they now felt more prepared. So thanks to Matron Karen Melling, Senior Sister Helen Crookes and HCA Roz Allen for letting us share their comments. They all clearly are looking forward to EPR, though acknowledge it's going to be a big change for colleagues. You can see their comments attached.
* Cutover is the period of time between switching off our existing PAS system and switching on EPR. Go-live is when EPR becomes available to support patient care. We'll be sharing exactly what is happening soon.
Training update
More than 60% of colleagues have now been trained in EPR and that is a first, according to EPR Training Manager Derek Wright. He said: "I've never known a trust in the UK be this far along in their training programme - and believe me I've run lots of them. At this point, most trusts have around 30 to 35% of staff trained so to be at this stage is absolutely fantastic".
Still not booked on? Then please do it so you can be trained and registered on EPR when we go-live. If you wait thinking it's better to hold off there may be no spaces left on your course.