UK to digitise personal child health records by April 2023

The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care published a report titled, The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days, setting out a vision for child care in the 1,001 critical days from conception to age 2. The policy paper outlines six action areas to help make things easier for busy parents and caregivers. Among the six is making the information families need when they need it by designing digital, virtual, and telephone offers around the needs of family. This includes digitising the personal child health record, also known as the ‘red book’. The red book contains babies’ details and information about their growth and development. A digital red book can ensure information is easier to store, protected, and easier to share with medical staff. The new change is planned to take place from April 2023.