NHS patients dying because of problems sharing medical records, coroners warn

IT issues and restrictions on access to information are leaving staff unaware of crucial background details

Coroners in England and Wales have issued 35 warnings this year over inadequate sharing of NHS patient information, with some patients dying because clinicians couldn't access important details about their needs.

Problems caused by conflicting IT systems, restricted access to medical records and obstacles to sharing information outside the NHS mean staff often struggle to access details about the patients they are treating.