The 10-year managed service contract, which involves sixty NHS staff moving to Xerox in a TUPE agreement, began at the beginning of August.

As part of the deal, Xerox will scan all patient records using its intelligent character recognition technology that will allow the documents to be accessed through an online portal.

In doing so, medical staff through the trust will be able to view the records that contain patient information such as administrative and appointment data.

Andy Jones, director and general manager of Xerox Global Services in Europe, said its management service "is a reliable and trusted outsourcing solution that will help the Trust to realise genuine operational benefits and innovative new ways of working".

He added: "It will increase efficiency – a benefit that will directly impact on patient care – while also saving money, reducing paper usage and reducing the Trust’s environmental impact."

According to John Rostill, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, the move as part of "a real effort to reduce the paperwork" at the trust.

He said: "Moving to an electronic record system is something that we should have done a long time ago but I am delighted that we are going to be one of the pioneers in this area.

"It will revolutionise the way our staff work and make a considerable impact on patient care and safety."