SHAs take on Choose and Book
Strategic health authorities are to be given responsibility for sorting out technical problems with Choose and Book. NHS Connecting for Health told EHI Primary Care that it is devolving responsibility for technical assistance for Choose and Book to SHAs in 2009-10. A spokesperson said: “It is now considered an appropriate time – and a positive […]
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The word on the tweet
NHS hospital trusts are starting to use the micro-blogging tool Twitter to update their staff and local communities. Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust appears to have been the first in the country to adopt Twitter, setting up a homepage on the site at the end of December. However, Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust seems to have […]
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Scottish NHS to invest €1.8m in e-health
Online scanning to allow remote diagnosis for island-based patients and Scotland’s biggest telehealth system are among a range of hi-tech projects to help more patients to be treated quicker and closer to home. The Scottish NHS is to invest €1.8m in e-health – including €640,000 funding from the country’s major health IT contractor Atos Origin. […]
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Wikipedia-plus launches for medics
The Medpedia Project has launched a beta version of what it hopes will become the world’s largest online medical encyclopedia. The initial launch includes a collaborative knowledge base, a professional network and directory and communities of interest in which medical professionals and others will be able to discuss conditions, treatments and lifestyle issues. Since the […]
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epSOS makes strong start
Europe’s flagship 12-nation electronic health record interoperability project, epSOS, has made a strong start with new countries now asking to join. Already the Smart Open Services for European Patients (epSOS) project involves 27-players from 12 European states. Participants include ministries of health, national competency centres and industry. Backed by €11m of European Commission funding, together […]
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Welsh e-referral plans and controversy
Wales is due to launch its own electronic referral system in the summer, with a version of the clinical communications system used in Scotland. Informing Healthcare told EHI Primary Care that electronic referrals and clinical communications between GPs and secondary care will be managed through the Wales Clinical Communications Gateway. The system is a version […]
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Scotland invests in telehealthcare
Scotland has launched its biggest telehealthcare project alongside 16 other e-health initiatives that will be backed by £1.6m of investment. NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government are to jointly fund a £700,000 large scale telehealth trial that will cover 400 patients with long term conditions, using Intel’s Health Guide. In addition, the government and Atos […]
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MHRA warning on internet scam
The UK’s medicines and healthcare products watchdog has warned HIV and Aids sufferers not to fall for an internet scam claiming to have a miracle cure for their condition. The warning follows a raid on two locations in Leeds and Belfast, which found evidence that organised criminals linked to Zimbabwean gangs had set-up a website […]
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BMA says 084 must run its course
GP practices using 084 telephone numbers must be allowed to serve out the terms of their contracts with telephone suppliers if the government decides to ban them from the NHS, the British Medical Association has said. In its response to the current consultation on 084 numbers, the BMA has told the Department of Health that […]
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UN, Vodafone and Rockefeller launch mHealth Alliance
The Rockefeller Foundation, the United Nations Foundation and The Vodafone Foundation – three of the leading foundations involved in global health, technology and humanitarian assistance – have banded together to create the Mobile Health Alliance. The new mHealth Alliance will work to maximise the impact of mobile health, especially in the developing world. Terry Kramer, […]
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