Stirling Launches E-Learning for Nurses
Stirling University in Scotland has launched a new Internet training course targeted at former nurses looking to return to the profession. The website and e-learning modules, developed by academics at Stirling University, is designed to help tackle the nation’s nursing shortage – one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS. It is hoped that the […]
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Healthcare IT and Devolution
The health services in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were detached from the English mother ship as part of devolution. This can be seen in terms of policies: in this week’s elections for the Welsh Assembly, Labour promised free prescriptions if it regained power. But it also means that IT is procured by each nation, […]
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The National IT Programme: Readers Have Their Say
At HC2003 NHS IT director-general Richard Granger said that he wanted a debate about whether there were viable alternatives to the direction of travel set out by the National Programme. Though he made clear that he believed the route set out was the best way to ensure delivery, he added it was not too late […]
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DH Shapes Up National IT Structures
The "Who Does What" debate at the top level of healthcare IT continues but the HC2003 audience at Harrogate this week got a glimpse on the shape of things to come for the NHS Information Authority (NHSIA), the Information Policy Unit (IPU) and the National IT Programme Department of Health (DH) director of research, information […]
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Scottish Waiting List Database Full of Errors
A waiting times database set up by the Scottish NHS to provide patients with faster access to treatment has come under fire for containing serious errors. According to a 23 February report in Scotland on Sunday the new system seriously understates the delay facing some hospital patients. The article says that in one case the […]
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Scottish Ambulance Plans to Network Vehicles
Scottish Ambulance plans to put networked computers in all of its emergency vehicles to provide crews with better information en route to emergency incidents in an investment project worth up to £6m. The multimillion project, which would cover the whole of Scotland, is designed to cut response times, improve communications with hospital casualty departments and […]
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Patient Communication Systems Launched
Bedside entertainment and communications systems for hospital patients have been officially launched at Kingston Hospitals NHS Trust. The wall-mounted patient terminals have been installed by private firm Patientline. The terminals will enable patients to use the web and email from their hospital beds, watch digital TV, listen to radio, as well as make and receive […]
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Dramatic Funding Increase in Store for NHS IT
A “dramatic increase” in funding to modernise NHS IT is anticipated – but there’s still no word on the overall figure. That was the message from Professor Sir John Pattison, the DH’s director of research, information and analysis to the Quality Information Solutions 2002 conference in Birmingham this week ”Funds would be highly centralised, ring-fenced […]
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NHS 24 Roll-Out Reaches Aberdeen
Malcolm Chisholm, Scotland’s health minister, has confirmed that the roll-out of the NHS 24 , the Scottish version of the English flagship patient helpline NHS Direct, will proceed across Scotland – despite reported teething problems with the pilot project in the North-east. Mr Chisholm made the comments at the launch of the second NHS 24 […]
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UK E-Health Association Conference
Highlights from the UK e-Health Association Conference, Cardiff, June 11-13 E-Health Media listened in on some of the presentations at the UK e-Health Association’s well-attended conference last week. Building Clinical Value Through Data Linkage An example of building real value for diabetes patients and clinicians through data linkage came from Dr John Parkinson, client services […]
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