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| NHS IT needs overhaul, say Tories | NHS IT needs overhaul, say Tories |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The Conservatives have said they would create huge cost savings for the NHS by scrapping plans for a central database of patient records. | The Conservatives have said they would create huge cost savings for the NHS by scrapping plans for a central database of patient records. |
| Their plans would include electronic medical notes being stored locally by GPs and hospitals and patients having online access to their medical records. | Their plans would include electronic medical notes being stored locally by GPs and hospitals and patients having online access to their medical records. |
| They also say NHS trusts would have more choice over new computer systems. | They also say NHS trusts would have more choice over new computer systems. |
| The government said patients were already benefiting from the progress that had been made in online records. | The government said patients were already benefiting from the progress that had been made in online records. |
| Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said proposals to allow NHS patients access to their records online would give people "greater control over their own health care". | |
| Every patient would have a username and password and IT firms such as Google or Microsoft could host the information. | Every patient would have a username and password and IT firms such as Google or Microsoft could host the information. |
| Users could update their medical records with information like blood pressure and cholesterol levels, he added. | Users could update their medical records with information like blood pressure and cholesterol levels, he added. |
| Behind schedule | Behind schedule |
| The £12bn NHS IT programme in England has been dogged by problems since its launch in 2002. | The £12bn NHS IT programme in England has been dogged by problems since its launch in 2002. |
| It is the world's largest civilian IT project and aims to replace hundreds of different computer systems in hospitals and GP practices with new, compatible versions that will allow NHS staff anywhere in England to access patients' medical records. | It is the world's largest civilian IT project and aims to replace hundreds of different computer systems in hospitals and GP practices with new, compatible versions that will allow NHS staff anywhere in England to access patients' medical records. |
| NHS IT will only succeed in improving patient care if information is held locally and centred on the patient Dr Glyn Hayes | NHS IT will only succeed in improving patient care if information is held locally and centred on the patient Dr Glyn Hayes |
| Choose and Book, e-prescriptions and digital systems for viewing and storing X-rays and other scans are also included in the programme. | Choose and Book, e-prescriptions and digital systems for viewing and storing X-rays and other scans are also included in the programme. |
| It is thought the project is now five years behind schedule. Although some parts have been implemented successfully, there have been problems in the upgrading of computer systems in hospitals and getting the electronic patient record up and running. | It is thought the project is now five years behind schedule. Although some parts have been implemented successfully, there have been problems in the upgrading of computer systems in hospitals and getting the electronic patient record up and running. |
| An independent review commissioned by shadow health minister Stephen O'Brien concluded that the national programme had been too centralised, making it inefficient and leading to overspending. | An independent review commissioned by shadow health minister Stephen O'Brien concluded that the national programme had been too centralised, making it inefficient and leading to overspending. |
| Patient records should be stored locally rather than on a national database, with the capability of transferring the information when necessary, it said. | Patient records should be stored locally rather than on a national database, with the capability of transferring the information when necessary, it said. |
| And local trusts should be able to choose their computer system from a catalogue of agreed providers rather than having it imposed on them, it added. | And local trusts should be able to choose their computer system from a catalogue of agreed providers rather than having it imposed on them, it added. |
| Contracts in place with IT service providers - two out of four of whom have already pulled out of the project - should be brought to a halt and renegotiated to "prevent further inefficiencies", the review advised. | Contracts in place with IT service providers - two out of four of whom have already pulled out of the project - should be brought to a halt and renegotiated to "prevent further inefficiencies", the review advised. |
| 'Shambolic' | 'Shambolic' |
| Scaling back the project to a local level, removing the need for a central body to oversee the programme, and generating more competition between a larger number of suppliers would all save the NHS money, it said. | Scaling back the project to a local level, removing the need for a central body to oversee the programme, and generating more competition between a larger number of suppliers would all save the NHS money, it said. |
| The Conservatives said they would also consult patients on how much control they wanted over their medical records. | The Conservatives said they would also consult patients on how much control they wanted over their medical records. |
| Detailed care records will continue to be held locally in an electronic form, enabling hospitals and GPs to easily access information Department of Health spokesman | Detailed care records will continue to be held locally in an electronic form, enabling hospitals and GPs to easily access information Department of Health spokesman |
| Mr O'Brien said the proposals would deliver huge cost savings and ensure that NHS IT was geared towards the needs and wishes of patients. | Mr O'Brien said the proposals would deliver huge cost savings and ensure that NHS IT was geared towards the needs and wishes of patients. |
| He called the handling of the programme to date "shambolic" and said the top-down, bureaucratic approach had been "hugely disruptive to the NHS". | He called the handling of the programme to date "shambolic" and said the top-down, bureaucratic approach had been "hugely disruptive to the NHS". |
| Dr Glyn Hayes, chair of the review, said: "The review makes clear that NHS IT will only succeed in improving patient care if information is held locally and centred on the patient. | Dr Glyn Hayes, chair of the review, said: "The review makes clear that NHS IT will only succeed in improving patient care if information is held locally and centred on the patient. |
| "I hope this report helps redeem the national programme for IT from its current difficulties and transforms it for the benefit of patients and doctors alike." | "I hope this report helps redeem the national programme for IT from its current difficulties and transforms it for the benefit of patients and doctors alike." |
| A Department of Health spokesman said the report highlighted nothing new. | A Department of Health spokesman said the report highlighted nothing new. |
| He said: "Patients are now directly benefiting from the modernisation of NHS IT - including being able to make their first outpatient appointment through Choose and Book, new digital images and a new electronic prescriptions service." | He said: "Patients are now directly benefiting from the modernisation of NHS IT - including being able to make their first outpatient appointment through Choose and Book, new digital images and a new electronic prescriptions service." |
| And he added that the programme was already being delivered locally. | And he added that the programme was already being delivered locally. |
| "For example, detailed care records will continue to be held locally in an electronic form, enabling hospitals and GPs to easily access information in order to the deliver the best service for patients." | "For example, detailed care records will continue to be held locally in an electronic form, enabling hospitals and GPs to easily access information in order to the deliver the best service for patients." |
| The government has made it clear to the companies contracted to deliver the upgrades that it expects further significant progress by the end of November, he said. | The government has made it clear to the companies contracted to deliver the upgrades that it expects further significant progress by the end of November, he said. |