The AGM of the Computers in psychiatry group of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The group was no longer a collection of computer hobbyists. Primary cares about Interfacing Dr Richard Byng, a general practitioner in S. Lewisham described a how a popular primary care computer system might interface to secondary mental health services given an agreed protocol or information structure.
Links are already in place to feed bichemical results as soon as they are available.
Dr Byng recognised the persitent difficulties seen when information is to follow clients that change practice, and variations in quality of data entry. The wide range of potential Read codes were discussed and a simplified diagnostic flow chart shown as a workable solution for data capture. Future developments should feature joint information needs assessement and planning between primary and secondary care services. The program allows powerful data crosstabulation using a drag and drop interface and bring local interpretation of hitherto inflexibly presented national statistics. Proper management information including costings should follow from a patient or more usefully 'spell' orientated record, rather than the other way around.