A NEW £15.7m hospital IT system could result in initial delays for patients, health bosses have warned.

The Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust will launch the new Electronic Patient Record at the John Radcliffe, Churchill and Horton hospitals on Sunday.

The database will contain patient records including medical history, details of past operations and appointments.

But the trust has warned that although staff have had training they will need to get used to using it.

An OUH spokesman said: “We have extra staff working during this bedding-in period to help, so hopefully things will go smoothly.

“We are not sending a message that there will be delays, rather a message that says, things may take a little longer so please bear with us.”

Dr Paul Altmann, chief clinical information officer, said the new system would initially only be used for administrative functions.

But he said its use would be expanded from about March, adding: “In the future, clinical staff will be able to order diagnostic tests from the patient’s bedside; and pharmacy staff will be able to dispense medication directly from the ward, speeding up the system for patient medication and diagnostic tests.”

The new system has been paid for by the Department of Health.

Earlier this year the Government announced it was scrapping the £11bn NHS IT project.

Hospitals are now allowed to choose their own computer systems.