GM Care Record hits record milestone with over half a million patient records accessed in a single month
The GM Care Record (GMCR) reached a significant milestone in March 2026, with 517,276 patient records accessed in a single month – the first time usage has passed the half‑million mark.
The record‑breaking month also saw the highest ever number of unique users, with 29,610 health and care professionals using the GMCR to support care across Greater Manchester.
The figures reflect the growing role of the GMCR in day‑to‑day clinical practice, supporting safer, faster and more joined‑up care by giving frontline staff access to trusted information when and where they need it.
Cara Afzal, Programme Director for Digital and Data at Health Innovation Manchester, said, “Reaching this milestone is a real moment of pride for Greater Manchester. More than half a million patient records accessed in a single month shows that the GM Care Record is becoming embedded in everyday care not as an extra task, but as a practical tool that supports better decision-making and saves valuable time.”
“What’s particularly encouraging is the growth in the number of people using the record. Nearly 30,000 staff choosing to use GMCR in March tells a powerful story about trust, usability and the value it brings to frontline care.”
The GM Care Record brings together information from across health and care settings, including primary, acute, community, mental health and social care, helping professionals to see the full picture and work more effectively across organisational boundaries.
Dr Gareth Thomas, Clinical Director for Digital and Data Products at Health Innovation Manchester, added, “These numbers represent real moments of care – clinicians finding the information they need quickly, conversations that don’t need to be repeated, and decisions made with greater confidence.”
“The continued rise in usage shows that shared care records can genuinely support better outcomes for patients, while also reducing duplication and pressure on staff. The GMCR has now become an essential part of everyday frontline clinical care.”
This sustained growth in usage reflects years of coordinated work across Greater Manchester. It has been driven by targeted clinical engagement campaigns, GMCR access for community pharmacy teams, and the increasing use of shared care plans, including EPaCCS, to support joined‑up decision‑making.
Alongside this, continued product development has made the GMCR more valuable at the point of care, including the integration of PACS Viewer, GP Connect, and the recent addition of genomics information within the record, helping clinicians find trusted information more quickly, without switching systems.
In March 2026, the GM Care Record supported care in thousands of everyday moments, such as:
• A GP quickly viewing recent hospital discharge information, without chasing paperwork or making phone calls
• A hospice nurse checking up to-date medication and key history at the point of care, supporting faster, safer decisions
• Community and mental health teams working from the same trusted information, reducing repetition for patients
• Urgent and out of hours clinicians accessing vital details they might not otherwise have had, when time really matters
Behind these moments were 517,276 patient records accessed and 29,610 health and care professionals using the GM Care Record – the highest levels ever seen in a single month.
If you’re not yet using the GM Care Record, it’s easy to get started. Join the growing number of colleagues across Greater Manchester who are choosing to use GMCR every day to save time, reduce duplication and deliver more joined up care for patients.
