Heartlands uses RFID for patient identification
The Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust has awarded Safe Surgery Systems Ltd a contract to supply a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) patient identification system that links to electronic patient records on PDAs, allowing staff to identify patients before they go for surgery. Hear of England will use wireless PDA’s and patient wristbands fitted with […]
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DH rejects patient opt-out requests
The Department of Health has rejected patients’ requests to stop their information being uploaded to the NHS data spine. On Friday the DH wrote to patients who had sent in a coupon from the Guardian newspaper requesting to opt-out telling them that would not be able to do. The eight page letter from the DH […]
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GPs threaten to block national patient database
One in two GPs have signalled their intention not to upload patients’ clinical details to the NHS Care Records Service (NCRS) without explicit patient consent, in direct opposition to Department of Health (DH) policy. The position being adopted by doctors in primary care, is revealed in a survey of 1026 doctors’ views about the National […]
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Scotland mandates online patient data dictionary
A new clinical standards dictionary has been set up by NHS Scotland’s National Clinical Dataset Development Programme in an effort to promote the use of approved data standards in Scotland The web-based Health and Social Care Dictionary (www.datadictionary.scot.nhs.uk) comprises of a full list of national clinical data standards, which will help to support direct patient […]
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Apollo patient data mining software may breach DPA
A primary care IM&T adviser has recommended that GP practices do not use Department of Health supplied software to extract data for a patient survey because of concerns over patient confidentiality. Dr Simon Barton, GP IM&T adviser for Cornwall, wrote to all practices after the DH issued instructions to practices on how to use software […]
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NHS Direct patient database approaches first birthday
NHS Direct, the health service’s telephone and online advice service will celebrate the first birthday of its single national database next month, launched in partnership with clinical decision support software (CDSS) specialists, Clinical Solutions. The database records all individual patients who contact the NHS Direct phoneline and holds details of their enquiry and any advice […]
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One in five trusts below standard on patient information
One in five NHS trusts in England do not store, use and dispose of information about patients to an agreed NHS standard. The deficit comes to light in the Healthcare Commission’s first annual health check on all 570 NHS trusts in England which was published yesterday. In the annual health check trusts are awarded ratings […]
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GP wins award for patient record access initiative
Dr Amir Hannan has been awarded this year’s John Perry prize at the British Computer Society’s Primary Healthcare Specialist Group conference in Oxfordshire for his pioneering work in patient record access (PRA) in the UK. The GP and information management and technology lead for Tameside and Glossop PCT won the award for the most important personal […]
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Electronic patient information awards announced
Patient information publications delivered through new media such as DVDs and websites have strongly featured in the results of the British Medical Association’s annual medical book competition. The BMA Patient Information Website Award was given to Aidsmap in a ceremony at BMA House on Monday. The site offers news and medical advice to patients with HIV/AIDS […]
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New group will promote patient access to records
A group has been set up to raise awareness of patient record access nationally and internationally and increase the take-up of patient access to records by patients and practices in the NHS. The Record Access Collaborative, which is being run by south east London GP Brian Fisher and funded by GP computer supplier EMIS, aims […]
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