Case Study

A Digital Breakthrough in SAR Management

MSE were processing over 1,000 Subject Access Requests every month, and needed a faster, secure, and more efficient way to manage rising demand. Manual workflows were slowing turnaround times, increasing administrative burden, and creating compliance risks.

By implementing the AMS Request Management Portal, the Trust delivered a major step forward in its NHS Digital Transformation strategy — improving efficiency, strengthening governance, and enhancing the experience for patients and all other service users.

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Impact at a Glance

45 minutes

saved per request

1,000+

SARs processed monthly

99%

portal adoption by requesters

Faster

turnaround times

Fewer

breached deadlines

Secure

online disclosure

Audit trail

provided by allocated case manager

Positive

service user feedback

The Challenge

The Trust’s Access to Records team was under increasing pressure:

  • High administrative workload

  • Reliance on costly physical dispatch

  • Manual, spreadsheetbased tracking

  • Limited visibility of ownership, pending and breached requests

  • Slower turnaround times

  • No digital route for requests

  • Risk of noncompliance with statutory deadlines

With demand rising, the Trust needed a modern, scalable solution aligned with NHS improvement, interoperabilities, and digital transformation goals.

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The Solution: A CloudBased SAR Platform Built for the NHS

  • Structured workflows to reduce manual effort

  • A realtime dashboard showing live caseloads, case handlers and priorities

  • Comprehensive reporting for compliance and oversight

  • Secure online disclosure, replacing physical media

  • A mobileresponsive requester portal for patients, solicitors, and representatives

The Trust described the rollout as a true partnership, noting that AMS was as committed as they were to improving outcomes for patients and service users.

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A Truly Bespoke Partnership

“MSE wanted to improve how health records were released. The product from AMS provided us with the right customer focused solution. AMS has never failed to listen, develop, and communicate with us. They respond and feedback;  it has been a pleasure to work with the team at AMS on this project. They wanted to get this right just as much as we did for our patients and service users. A truly bespoke partnership approach.

Rebecca Pascoe, Service Manager MSE Health Records and Access to Records.

The Results

Automation and streamlined workflows reduced administrative effort dramatically — freeing staff time every single day.

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Before vs After Implementation

Area Before After
Admin Time Manual, time-consuming 45 minutes saved per request
Visibility Limited, spreadsheet-based Realtime dashboard
Turnaround Times Slower, risk of breaches Faster, more consistent
Requester Experience No digital route 99% portal adoption/improved feedback
Disclosure Physical media/email Secure online disclosure
Alignment with NHS Strategy Manual processes Supports NHS Digital Transformation

 

Conclusion

Through its partnership with AMS, MSE transformed its SAR process – saved time, strengthened compliance, and delivered an improved experience for patients and requesters.

This project demonstrates how cloud-based SAR software can play a vital role in NHS Digital Transformation, statutory compliance and operational improvement.

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