<p>When it was launched back in 2002 the NHS IT programme was about focusing on delivering four things: infrastructure, integrated electronic patient records, electronic transfer of prescriptions and electronic appointment booking. It was not meant to be about implementing simplified patient administration systems, providing replacement GP systems, minor upgrades to existing systems, NHS email or systems to measure GP performance. A widening gap has opened up between what was intended and promised and what has been delivered.</p><p>As we reported last week Connecting for Health's chief operating officer Gordon Hextall has stated there is to be a review of the programme, and indicated that the original implementation schedules are now moot. It is uncertain when the core clinical solutions, effectively the electronic patient record systems, will become available, let alone deployed. There are some indications that another two years could pass before we start to see such systems. </p><p>A question that begs to be asked is what has happened to CfH's much vaunted tough deals with contractors that were supposed to guarantee the NHS would only pay for success? So far the NHS appears to have spent a great deal on the procurement and subsequent programme, but received precious little in the way of new solutions that will either improve clinical care or increase NHS efficiency. At this stage there is unfortunately a strong argument to be made that more trusts would have advanced clinical systems in place by now if the programme had not been invented.</p><p><span class="subheading"><a href="http://java script: ol(" target="_blank">CFH could face a £10 billion funding gap</a></span><br /><font />A new consultation paper produced by an influential health computing industry group has raised concerns about the medium-term funding of the NHS National Programme for IT, suggesting that there may be a funding gap of up to £10 billion.</p><p><img src="http://www.e-health-insider.com/TC_DomainsBin/TC_Mailshot_Templates/images/seperator_dots.gif" border="0" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.src);" alt="" style="CURSOR: pointer" onload="javascript:if(this.width>screen.width-500)this.style.width=screen.width-500;" /> </p><p><span class="subheading"><a href="http://java script: ol(" target="_blank">Trials of 'summary spine record' to begin in 2006</a></span><br /><font />Summaries of GP records from a small number of practices are to be loaded onto the NHS spine from August 2006 as part of a new evolutionary 'pilot', intended to test the basic concepts around shared summary care records.</p><p><img src="http://www.e-health-insider.com/TC_DomainsBin/TC_Mailshot_Templates/images/seperator_dots.gif" border="0" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.src);" alt="" style="CURSOR: pointer" onload="javascript:if(this.width>screen.width-500)this.style.width=screen.width-500;" /> </p><p><span class="subheading"><a href="http://java script: ol(" target="_blank">CFH begins NHS information blitz</a></span><br />A marathon campaign to tell the nation about the NHS Care Record Service gets underway today with a leaflet blitz on NHS staff.</p><p><img src="http://www.e-health-insider.com/TC_DomainsBin/TC_Mailshot_Templates/images/seperator_dots.gif" border="0" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.src);" alt="" style="CURSOR: pointer" onload="javascript:if(this.width>screen.width-500)this.style.width=screen.width-500;" /> </p><p><span class="subheading"><a href="http://java script: ol(" target="_blank">University College London NHS trust goes wireless<br /></a></span>University College London NHS Foundation Trust has completed installation of an advanced wireless network, thought to be the largest yet implemented in the NHS.</p><p><img src="http://www.e-health-insider.com/TC_DomainsBin/TC_Mailshot_Templates/images/seperator_dots.gif" border="0" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.src);" alt="" style="CURSOR: pointer" onload="javascript:if(this.width>screen.width-500)this.style.width=screen.width-500;" /> </p><p><span class="subheading"><a href="http://java script: ol(" target="_blank">New analysis tool helps pinpoint deprivation<br /></a></span>Huddersfield's primary care trusts and global information solutions specialists, Experian, this week claimed a health informatics 'first' with the publication of a new type of analysis that helps pinpoint deprivation and its effects on health.</p><p><img src="http://www.e-health-insider.com/TC_DomainsBin/TC_Mailshot_Templates/images/seperator_dots.gif" border="0" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.src);" alt="" style="CURSOR: pointer" onload="javascript:if(this.width>screen.width-500)this.style.width=screen.width-500;" /> </p><p><span class="subheading"><a href="http://java script: ol(" target="_blank">A quarter of all diabetics undiagnosed<br /></a></span>A quarter of all people who have diabetes remain undiagnosed, leaving them at serious risk of developing serious complications. The findings come from the largest ever UK clinical audit of diabetes care, carried out by the Health and Social Care Information Centre on behalf of the Healthcare Commission.<br /></p><p><br /> </p> |