Infrastructure variability, some training missteps and cybersecurity worries seem to have tripped up the SDPR schedule.
A document leaked exclusively to Health Services Daily shows that the single digital patient record rollout for Hunter New England LHD has been delayed because of infrastructure variability, training complications and cybersecurity concerns.
HNELHD’s rollout of the SDPR was originally scheduled for the end of March, in the first tranche of go-lives for the implementation of the Epic product across the state.
Instead, as reported by HSD, by 25 March, just the Justice Health Forensic Mental Health Network and the NSW Health Pathology John Hunter hospital lab had gone live. The website of the Single Digital Patient Record Authority had updated HNELHD’s rollout to May 2026.
In briefing notes dated 11 March 2026 and believed to be for doctors in the region, an SDPR representative admitted that the “system build is not fully complete”.
“A significant number of staff still require training, and new staff will continue to need onboarding. Some staff were incorrectly assigned multiple roles, resulting in unnecessary training requirements – this is being corrected,” the document reads.
In the context of simulation exercises: “These simulations require external support (implementation authority and system vendor), making setup complex and time-consuming. Once built, simulations will be scaled across the district, tailored to different hospital contexts.
“The system build is not fully complete – ongoing configuration continues (eg medications).
“… infrastructure upgrades, ie WIFI, are ongoing across sites.
“The challenges we currently face are: … complex coordination with external partners; ensuring equitable rollout despite infrastructure variability …
“GPs will not be fully integrated into the system. Some may get limited access (eg Care Link), but communication (letters, discharge summaries) must continue.
“Access via personal devices is technically possible but delayed due to cybersecurity concerns.”
HSD has attempted twice in the past week to get answers from the SDPRIA about why the HNELHD rollout has been delayed.
Dr Teresa Anderson, CEO of the SDPRIA replied in the first instance as follows:
“Given the scale and complexity of the program, a staged rollout is being carefully managed, supported by rigorous testing and readiness assessments to ensure patient safety and system reliability.
“It is due to the rigour of this process that Justice Health NSW and NSW Health Pathology’s John Hunter Hospital Laboratory were selected to go live on 25 March, 2026.
“This approach enables key learnings from this first, successful, go-live to be applied across the District and all NSW Health Pathology Hunter New England sites, as it prepares for its go-live toward the middle of the year.”
Related
In response to a follow-up question, HSD received the following on Thursday:
“The implementation of the Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR) is the largest transformation in Australian healthcare history. Hunter New England Local Health District remains in the First Tranche of implementation of the SDPR for NSW Health.”
This morning HSD reached out again with a new set of questions, generated by the leaked document.
We had not received a response from the SDPRIA by our publication deadline, but will update as we can.
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