eCare has its origins in earlier Modernising Government Funded (MGF) initiatives, where Public Sector agencies involved in both Community Care and Children's Services, were encouraged to form partnerships around the theme of electronic information sharing.
In early 2006, Scottish Ministers' wish to develop this into a Scotland-wide electronic information sharing framework led to the formation of 14 Data Sharing Partnerships (DSPs), tasked with implementing eCare.
Geographically, the DSPs are organised around NHS Board areas. They are made up of those Agencies engaged in providing care and protection to the citizens of Scotland, including the NHS, the Police and Local Authority Education, Housing and Social Work Services, and the Third Sector.
In December 2007, eCare was used for the first time, when the Outer Hebrides and Ayrshire & Arran DSPs provided Health and Social Care practitioners with messages about children under their care who were subject to Child Protection measures. Since then, a programme of implementation has seen eCare implemented in Tayside and Grampian, with plans for further implementation across Scotland in 2010-11.