A universal child health record is not yet available in Ireland. It is unlikely due to the current economic situation that this will be addressed in the near future. The absence of a universal record results in duplication, inadequate integration and ultimately poor outcomes for children and their families. Health care professionals, particularly primary health care professionals are well aware of the challenges presented by this situation. In the meantime there are opportunities for developing systems based on existing technology and current best practice in terms of paper based records: Child Health Information Tracking Application (CHeITA) was developed as part of a small pilot project to facilitate information sharing for parents and better collaboration with health care professionals.
