Hubs create technology for Digital Britain
Research Councils UK has unveiled a five year, £36m programme to develop new digital technologies. Three research hubs in Nottingham, Newcastle and Aberdeen will work on projects to open up new markets, improve the lives of elderly and socially excluded people and support rural communities. Science and innovation minister Lord Drayson said the new programme […]
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No cuts, but low growth in budget
Chancellor Alastair Darling has told the Commons that the government does not plan to “cut” its way out of recession while delivering a budget that promises low spending growth and big demands for efficiency savings from the public sector.
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Cutting the ties to one GP system
GP Dr Neil Paul wonders if IT advances mean primary care should become less dependent on one operating system and on client side software.
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NHS severe computer faults double
NHS Connecting for Health, the health service’s IT agency, has revealed that the number of severe faults in NHS computer systems has doubled over the past three years. Last year nationwide NHS computer systems suffered 820 severity-one or critical faults with national applications, provided by National Application Service Providers (NASPs) the majority relating to the […]
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Universal broadband by 2012
The government has outlined plans to ensure every home has a high-speed broadband connection by 2012, as part of plans to boost the UK digital economy. The interim Digital Britain report focuses on boosting the digital and communications industries, which are said to contribute more than £50bn a year to the UK economy. Additionally, the […]
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GPs see the sun go down on dawn2
Six GP practices have become the first NHS early adopter sites for the new public sector network in Wales. The Public Sector Broadband Aggregation (PSBA) network will provide a single communications and information network for all areas of public service, including local government, health, education and the emergency services. The health sector is the first […]
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Alston Healthcare plans telehealth project
Alston Healthcare, one of the Department of Health’s 26 social enterprise pathfinder projects, is working on a telehealth project. The Cumbrian company aims to provide community health services, including e-health services, across a rural area, with particular focus on older people. In 2006/07, it received £15,500 revenue and £5,000 capital from the Social Enterprise Unit […]
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Better communications for Wales
NHS Wales is to develop a national email service for all staff, including GPs and other primary care workers. A new infrastructure strategy, published by Informing Healthcare, also outlines plans to extend the Welsh Health Telephone Network to primary care, so staff can take advantage of toll-free calls between phones connected to the network. And […]
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NHS Choices gets central role in future health
The DH’s flagship website has been given a central role in Lord Darzi’s plans for reforming the health service in England.
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Forum set-up for pharmacy IT suppliers
Community pharmacy representatives have set up an IT forum with pharmacy IT suppliers to discuss concerns and possible solutions to IT issues including implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) put together the forum which includes representation from all the pharmacy record system suppliers as well as broadband suppliers and […]
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