The NHS Information Authority is focusing on electronic records as a route for patient empowerment in its contribution to a week of events marking the foundation of the NHS.
The special week runs from 1-8 July and includes the 54th anniversary of the NHS on 5 July.
In a comparison of paper and electronic records, the authority says electronic records will enable patients to have easy access their records, increasing understanding and encouraging more involvement with decisions about their healthcare.
Numerous other benefits are cited including elimination of the need to duplicate routine personal details, speeding up of referrals and access to records and dramatic reductions in lost or mislaid records.