That was the year that was…
IT underpins NHS reform in Queen’s speech
The government is planning to introduce a health bill to Parliament that will require further investment in IT and new information services for the public, the Queen’s speech has confirmed. The National Health Service Reform Bill will give the NHS its first, ever written constitution, drive forward the government’s quality and choice agendas, and strengthen […]
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Map of Medicine partners with DH cancer networks
The Map of Medicine is partnering with all cancer networks across England to localise the cancer care pathways already provided by ‘the Map’. The Department of Health say the partnership is key to enabling the networks to achieve targets set out in the ‘Cancer Reform Strategy’, including improving early detection of cancers, reducing referral times […]
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Patients should get Wikirecords
The Government should create ‘Wikirecords’ – online, accessible medical records which patients can contribute to and comment on – according to a new report from think tank Demos. The idea is one of a number of recommendations designed to reform relations between doctors and patients, and help patients to more fully engage with their treatment. […]
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Six years since Blair seminar began NPfIT
Six years ago this week Tony Blair chaired a No 10 Seminar on NHS IT, that paved the way to the £12.4bn NHS IT programme.
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Brown says information key to promoting self care
Self care supported by information and advice from professionals is a major theme in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s New Year message on the NHS. He also pledged to bring in a new constitution for the service – celebrating its 60th anniversary this year – setting out the rights and responsibilities associated with an entitlement to […]
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MPs say EPRs essential but delivery in doubt
Electronic patient record systems are vital to the future of healthcare in England, but there remain big questions and concerns…
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Hunt spells out local ownership moves
Health minister, Lord Hunt, who was responsible for setting up the National Programme for IT, has defended its strongly centralised initial approach but made plain that the future lies with local ownership. Speaking to the opening session of the Healthcare Computing 2007 conference in Harrogate, Lord Hunt, back at the Department of Health after a […]
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Tories back more collaborative approach on IT
Shadow chancellor, George Osborne, has said that the government needs to start taking advantage of the ‘collaborative forums that are emerging on the internet’, citing the Patient Opinion website as an example. “The Patient Opinion website, a social enterprise set up by a Sheffield GP, is already demonstrating what can be achieved,” Osborne told a […]
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New computer model helps identify patients at risk
A new computer tool that helps clinicians to identify patients with long term conditions who are most at risk of unplanned and unnecessary hospital admissions has been launched by the Department of Health. The Combined Predictive Model has been developed by the King’s Fund, Health Dialog and New York University. It uses accident and emergency, […]
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