Technology key to modernisation, says NHS Confed
Technology, people and improved processes were described as the key tools that can help modernise and improve the NHS at the NHS Confederation’s annual conference yesterday. Rob Webster, the DH’s deputy director of workforce told delegate that better use of technology will be crucial if services are to meet the ambitious Public Sector Agreement targets of realising […]
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Better information and IT in view for kidney care
IT to support primary care staff whose work includes prevention of and treatment for kidney disease is a key component of the new Renal Services Information Strategy published this week. The information strategy has been designed to support Part 2 of the National Service Framework (NSF) for Renal Services dealing with chronic kidney disease (CKD), […]
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Welsh health IT prepares for delivery
The Welsh NHS IT reform programme, Informing Healthcare (IHC), has just released its National Case document and formally set up a series of Service Improvement Projects to start the process of implementing electronic health records in a number of key areas. The projects will focus on the areas of chronic disease management, unified assessment and […]
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Nurses happier using telecare, says international survey
Many nurses who specialise in telecare are experiencing greater job satisfaction than those who do not, according to the results of a major international survey into the use of IT in nursing. 59% of ‘telenurses’ claimed that they are happier caring for patients over video, e-mail or phone connections than in person. Reasons cited by nurses […]
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Telecare specialist Tunstall bought in £225m deal
Tunstall, the specialist in personal and home telecare, has been acquired by private equity firm Bridgepoint from Hg Capital in a deal worth a total of £225m. In a simultaneous deal Tunstall has acquired Attendo Response and Attendo Systems, a market-leader in Scandinavian telecare solutions. The acquisition will create a group with combined annual sales […]
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Choose and Book set to miss 2005 targets
The government’s targets for the implementation of Choose and Book this year look almost certain to be missed, despite being one of the health department’s key priorities. Continuing problems with clinical engagement and delays in implementing fully integrated Choose and Book systems are two of the key issues holding back roll-out of the system according […]
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Commons to debate practice manager’s opt-out case
Medical records and the case of Helen Wilkinson, who tried unsuccessfully to opt out of centrally-stored NHS electronic recording, will be the subject of a debate in the House of Commons on 16 June. Wilkinson’s MP, Paul Goodman, Conservative member for Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has gained a slot in the weekly schedule of adjournment debates, which […]
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‘Medical Grade Networks’ launched by Cisco
Cisco Systems has launched Medical Grade Networks, its blueprint of the future networking requirements for healthcare organisations to deliver e-health services. At a May press event the US technology giant explained why it believes focusing on converged networks, able to link together voice, data and diagnostic images, provides the means to get the most out […]
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Software to calculate cardiovascular risk for diabetics
The University of Oxford is planning to release software that calculates cardiovascular risk for patients with Type 2 diabetes based on data from its UK Prospective Diabetes Study. The UK Prospective Study Risk Engine, developed by the Diabetes Trials Unit at the university, will supersede the existing Risk Engine, which currently only calculates the likelihood […]
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Software piloted for better cancer data collection
Pilot IT systems have been implemented in two local cancer registries with the intention of improving the quality of the data they report back to the Department of Health. Merseyside & Cheshire Cancer Registry and Thames Cancer Registry have piloted data capture software that can meaningfully collate data in HL7, XML or CSV formats. The software will make […]
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