Paperless NHS by 2018? Probably not...

[Northerner]

Paper will remain a key part of GP and health trusts' patient records systems "for years" because of the continued use of paper on hospital wards - despite health minister Jeremy Hunt's plans to create a "paperless NHS" by 2018.

That is according to Emma Stockwell, a partner in the Health Business Group at law firm Hill Dickinson, speaking today at the Westminster Health Forum on the implementation of electronic health records in the NHS.

Furthermore, said Stockwell, having both paper and electronic records systems running side-by-side risks seeing critical medical information fall between the cracks, leading to clinicians relying on incomplete records data, partly due to a lack of willingness to scan and digitise all paper records.

http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2337546/paperless-nhs-by-2018-probably-not

I agree, it's a pipe dream. They've been talking about the 'paperless office' since I started in computers in 1981, it's about as likely as the 'leisure society' we were also promised back then 🙄

 

[Hanmillmum]

The NHS Trust I work for has been on an electronic records system for a few years now, wards - liaison and community (mental health/learning disability). There have been many problems and it's not smooth sailing. All service users still have papernotes as well (albeit downsized) as we still receive faxes, prescriptions have to be photocopied and stored, some assessment tools are on paper, and some other letters and correspondances we receive have to go somewhere esp in these times of litigation!

 

[AlisonM]

They're wanting to go paperless? With an IT system so full of bugs a broad-spectrum anti-biotic wouldn't help? Aye, right.