Cambridge University Hospitals introduced Epic as part of its eHospital transformation on 26 October 2014, transferring 2.1 million records in what was described as the first end-to-end Epic deployment in Europe and the first in the UK. The ten-year Epic and Hewlett-Packard infrastructure program was expected to cost about £200 million. In the weeks after launch, pathology codes and reporting failed to match some test results reliably. General practitioners were asked at short notice to stop routine blood tests; some samples were discarded, patients were turned away, and tests had to be repeated. The trust said about 200 patients were affected, while chief information officer Dr Afzal Chaudhry said more than 90% of the implementation had proceeded successfully.
The technology problems unfolded alongside a severe operational and financial crisis, rather than being established as its sole cause. The trust spent £13.2 million on agency staff in 2014–15, faced rising treatment waits and as many as 200 beds occupied by patients medically fit for discharge, and projected a £64 million loss for 2015–16. In September 2015, the Care Quality Commission placed it in special measures; chief executive Dr Keith McNeil and the finance director resigned. The trust later recovered a “good” rating and left special measures in January 2017, but in June 2018 it abandoned a £140 million Hewlett Packard Enterprise contract and replaced it with a £107 million Novosco infrastructure, Wi-Fi and cybersecurity deal.
