Over the next year, East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EMAS) will be replacing its current electronic patient record (EPR) system.
The formal procurement process is now complete and the contract for the provider of our replacement system has been awarded to Terrafix. The contract was signed on 15 July 2026.
Replacing our current EPR system is an important step toward improving how ambulance staff record, access and safely share patient information.
What is an Electronic Patient Record?
The EPR is a digital record completed by EMAS staff while they are with a patient. They record information about the patient and the care they have received, including any medication given and the clinical decisions made on scene. The EPR includes important details like their medical history, medications, known allergies, previous care, and GP details.
The record is secure and accessed by EMAS staff involved in a patient’s treatment via a tablet device.
Because it is a digital record, the EPR is then available for other healthcare providers to support the patient’s continuation of care. For example:
- if the patient is being taken by an EMAS crew to hospital, the EPR completed by the crew will be available to hospital staff when they receive the patient.
- the patient’s GP and others involved in their care will also be able to view the EPR completed by EMAS.
Why are we replacing our current EPR system?
The contract with our current EPR supplier ends in 2027. This provided an opportunity to review the market and ensure EMAS has a modern EPR platform capable of supporting future clinical practice, interoperability requirements and service improvement.
Like all digital technology, EPR systems develop and change over time. It’s important that we review our needs and the new and different systems available to us so that we can continue to improve our service for patients, the experience for our staff, and ensure we’re receiving good value for money.
Benefits of the new replacement EPR system
The design of the new replacement EPR system will be shaped by staff views and needs. An EPR Super User group, made up of frontline EMAS staff, has been involved throughout the procurement process and will closely work with Terrafix on the design of the new system.
The new replacement EPR system will have a range of benefits for our staff and patients.
Benefits for frontline staff:
- Improved flow of the EPR: reducing duplication and ensuring all important information about a patient is captured.
- Better clinical support: digital clinical decision support tools will be built in, supporting patient care and outcomes.
- Improved handover experience: sharing a logical flow of relevant information about a patient’s condition with hospital clinicians and others involved in their care.
- Shaped by real experience: staff ‘super users’ will influence the design and future developments.
Benefits for patients:
- Improved handover experience: Reduce the need for patients to repeat information.
- Improved outcomes: data from the system will inform and improve patient care in future.
Steve Bowyer, Chief Digital Officer at EMAS, said:
“This is fantastic news for people across the East Midlands. A new EPR system will help us support our frontline teams, ensure the care we provide is of the highest possible standard, and is based on accurate, up-to-date information.
The biggest change will be to the flow of the system – working with our super users, we’ll ensure the new EPR system supports the optimum care for patients and an improved handover experience for both our staff and hospital staff.
Terrafix was chosen following a detailed and competitive procurement process supported by NHS England.”
Derek Neve, EPR Digital Service Owner at EMAS, said:
“The introduction of the TerraPACE EPR solution from Terrafix will ensure that EMAS continues to use an electronic patient record system that is fit for today’s patient care needs and ready to support future developments.”
“Throughout the procurement process, EMAS has placed a strong emphasis on the views and ideas of staff who use EPR as part of their frontline operational roles. This engagement has helped shape the decision-making process and will continue as we work with Terrafix on the design and implementation of TerraPACE EPR. Our aim is to deliver the best possible solution for everyone who uses or interacts with EPR. This includes not only frontline users, but also hospitals, healthcare providers, and other partners who may access or rely on elements of the system.”
Super User James Lovatt, Paramedic from our Leicestershire Division, said:
“I'm looking forward to developing TerraPACE to fit our rapidly evolving practice. The new platform should allow us to complete records more efficiently, reduce unnecessary duplications, and take away some of the bugbears we all have with our current way of working.”
Super User Zeena Durham, Newly Qualified Paramedic from our Nottinghamshire Division, said:
“The introduction of a new EPR system which uses clinician feedback to refine and adapt the current EPR system will be highly beneficial to the clinicians using this system. Not only will refining the system decrease duplication, but it will also flow more methodically. By ensuring that every section has relevance and purpose, we’ll increase the system’s efficiency, allowing for a better clinician experience and accuracy in the documentation of patient records.”
Super User Claire Read, Paramedic Apprentice from our Lincolnshire Division, said:
“The new EPR system will mean a more user-friendly experience for those of us who use it every day. The current system can be time consuming to use. Making it more user-friendly, it will improve the efficiency of document writing for all of us and reading time for other healthcare professionals."
Chris Green, Managing Director for Terrafix said:
"Terrafix are delighted to be working with East Midlands Ambulance Service on this important Electronic Patient Record programme. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to improving patient care through innovative, transformational digital technology in the TerraPACE application, enabling frontline clinicians to access the information they need to deliver safe, efficient, and effective care."
Next steps
Our EPR Super User group will work with Terrafix and digital teams at EMAS to ensure the new replacement system meets the needs of our staff and patients.
EMAS staff will be fully supported throughout implementation, including training to use the new system.
For members of the public, we will publish key updates on our website.
We will be working closely with partners throughout this process. There are over 40 patient receiving units (such as hospital emergency departments) in the East Midlands. We will update stakeholders at key stages of the programme.