The Integration and Interoperability Mandate: What It Means for UK Care Homes

Interoperability is the ability of different software systems to exchange and use information automatically, instead of retyping notes or chasing updates, information can move securely between systems when it is needed.

In today’s environment, a resident admitted into hospital may arrive with little context beyond what can be communicated verbally. Important details like medication history, preferences, or care needs can be missed or delayed.

In a more connected setting, hospital teams can access relevant care home records before discharge, and care staff can see updates from hospital teams immediately. This shared understanding helps everyone make better decisions with confidence.

This matters for residents and families because care transitions, for example, between home, hospital and community services, are often moments of vulnerability. When information flows smoothly, those transitions feel safer and more reassuring for everyone involved.

The NHS Interoperability Agenda: What Is Actually Happening in 2026

The move toward interoperability is not theoretical, but supported by clear national programmes and standards.

• Shared Care Records (ShCRs) are already operating across England. These systems bring together health and care information from multiple organisations into one place.
• The Connecting Care Records programme is working to expand and connect these records nationwide, with funding and support continuing into 2026.
• Each Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for planning and delivering these connections within its local area.

This work sits alongside a wider ambition - a future where a Single Patient Record allows a consistent, shared view of care across the NHS and social care.

Digital adoption has already accelerated. By late 2025, around 80% of care providers were using digital social care records, giving many services a starting point for interoperability.

At the same time, national standards, like the Minimum Operational Data Standard (MODS) are being introduced so that different systems ‘speak the same language,’ making information easier to share safely.
Together, these developments shape a connected system where care homes are expected to participate, not stand apart.

A Shared Care Record is a secure digital record that brings together information from multiple health and care providers into one place. It can include:

• Medication and allergies
• Diagnoses and recent test results
• Care plans and support needs
• Discharge summaries and clinical notes 

Authorised professionals - GPs, hospital teams, community nurses and, increasingly, social care providers - can access this information for direct care.

For registered managers, this changes how information is shared:

• Care home records may contribute to the Shared Care Record
• Staff can access relevant NHS information when needed
• Discharge planning can begin with a clearer view of each resident’s needs

In practical terms, this supports safer decisions and more joined up care, especially at points of transition.

When a care home becomes interoperable, daily routines begin to shift gently rather than dramatically.

• Information that once required phone calls becomes visible within systems
• Medication changes made in hospital appear in care records sooner
• GPs reviewing a resident can see observations recorded by care staff
• Emergency services may access key health information during urgent visits

This supports care teams to act with greater confidence. It also reduces the emotional burden of uncertainty, knowing that the right information is there when it is needed.

For residents, the benefit is continuity. They do not need to repeat their story at every stage, and their preferences are more likely to follow them wherever they receive care.

What to do to prepare

If you are currently preparing for interoperability, you can start by:

• Reviewing your current system - Check whether your digital care record is on the NHS Assured Solutions List and aligned with interoperability standards.
• Engageing with your local ICB - Ask about Shared Care Record programmes in your area and how your service can participate.
• Reviewing data sharing agreements - Ensure appropriate agreements are in place to support secure and lawful data sharing.
• Supporting your team - Help staff understand what information may be shared and how this supports safe care.

Plan ahead for upgrades if needed - If your current system cannot support interoperability, include this in your future digital planning.

When evaluating digital systems, ‘interoperable’ should mean something practical and measurable. Look for:

• API capability - An API (Application Programming Interface) allows systems to exchange data automatically.
• HL7 FHIR alignment - HL7 FHIR is an international standard used by NHS systems to structure and share data.
• DSCR assured status - Systems on the NHS Assured Solutions List meet national standards for security, data quality and interoperability.
• Ability to connect to local Shared Care Records - This ensures compatibility with your ICB’s existing infrastructure.

As services look ahead, many providers are turning to platforms designed with this connected environment in mind. Solutions such as Access Care Planning, a digital care planning platform for UK care homes, and EVO for Care, Access’s care management platform for larger care groups, are now designed to support interoperability. By enabling care records to integrate with NHS systems and Shared Care Record programmes, these platforms help care homes participate in the wider data ecosystem without needing complex manual processes. 

When speaking with a software provider, it can still be helpful to ask questions like:

• Does your platform support HL7 FHIR?
• Are you on the NHS DSCR assured solutions list?
• Can your system connect to our local Shared Care Record?

These questions help ensure your system is ready not just for today, but for the direction of travel across the sector.

Interoperability also connects with regulatory expectations.

The CQC’s well-led framework highlights the importance of positive culture, collaboration and integrated care. Services are expected to work with partners and share information effectively to support safe, person-centred care. 

Inspectors look for evidence that:

• Services collaborate with other organisations
• Information is shared securely and appropriately
• Care feels joined-up from the perspective of the person receiving it

The Effective domain reinforces this by emphasising coordinated care across services, so people do not need to repeat their needs multiple times.

Connected digital records can support all of these expectations by making information easier to access, share and use.

What is interoperability in social care?

Interoperability means that systems used by care homes, hospitals and community teams can exchange and use information automatically, helping everyone involved in a person’s care see the same up to date details.

What is a Shared Care Record and how does it affect care homes?

A Shared Care Record brings together health and care information in one place, allowing authorised professionals to access a joined up view of a person’s care. Care homes may both contribute to and benefit from these records.

Do care homes have to share data with the NHS?

There is no universal legal requirement, but participation in local data sharing programmes is increasingly expected and often encouraged by ICBs.

What does care home software need to support NHS interoperability?

It should align with standards such as HL7 FHIR, offer API connectivity and ideally be listed on the NHS Assured Solutions List.

How does interoperability improve care quality in care homes?

It helps ensure everyone involved in care has access to consistent, up to date information, reducing risks during care transitions and supporting better decision making.

When evaluating digital systems, ‘interoperable’ should mean something practical and measurable. A care home software needs to be built with connectivity in mind, capable of sharing information safely and automatically with NHS systems and partner organisations.

This includes having strong API capability so that systems can exchange data without manual input; HL7 FHIR alignment, ensuring information is structured in a way NHS platforms can recognise and use; and, ideally, inclusion on the NHS Assured Solutions List, confirming the system meets national expectations for data quality, security and interoperability.

It should also be able to connect to local Shared Care Record infrastructure, as this is how most real-world data sharing is currently taking place.

As services look ahead, many providers are turning to platforms designed with this connected environment in mind. By enabling care records to integrate with NHS systems and Shared Care Record programmes, these platforms help care homes participate in the wider data ecosystem without placing additional strain on already busy teams.

Choosing technology that can grow with the changing landscape allows care homes to stay focused on what matters on supporting residents while building the connections needed for more joined-up care.

Access Care Planning and Access EVO for Care support this transition. Through API-enabled, NHS-aligned architecture, thy can help care providers connect with Shared Care Record infrastructure and participate in local data sharing programmes with confidence. For care groups managing multiple sites, Access EVO for Care brings together care, workforce and compliance data into a connected ecosystem, helping information flow smoothly across services.

If you would like to see how this works in practice, you can book a demo and explore how interoperability can fit naturally into your service, supporting your team today while preparing for the connected care environment ahead.