The National Programme for Information Technology in the NHS

Abstract 

The Government’s strategy for computerizing the NHS in England is embodied in the National Programme for Information Technology. This programme is being managed by the Government agency Connecting for Health and includes the NHS care records service (electronic patient records in hospitals and primary care, a summary care record, and web-based patient access to the summary record through HealthSpace), picture archiving and communications systems for digital diagnostic images, electronic transfer of prescriptions from general practitioner to pharmacist; Choose and Book for making hospital appointments, and electronic transfer of records from one general practitioner to another when the patient moves to another area. An integrated records system should deliver major benefits to healthcare, but a project of this scale and complexity will not be straightforward.

Keywords: choose and book, detailed care record, NHS care records service, summary care record