The pilot will also test useage and access management services. NHS Digital - a programme of pilot projects will explore the potential of digital TV in health and test a range of relevant applications. The new television technology opens up new possibilities for rapid access to health advice and information to enhance NHS Direct services, for supporting patient groups, such as those concerned with chronic conditions and for targeting health promotion initiatives to schools or the workplace. Wherever a patient is treated, there is a record of that treatment. New technology gives us opportunities for making those records safer and available for other health professionals.
Electronic records are crucial to the full development of a patient centred service.
The original Information for Health targets for full Electronic Patient Records and an Electronic Health Record for use in 24-hour emergency care by March 2005 remain unchanged. However, with the new requirement for electronic appointment booking and specific requirement to provide personal access to electronic records more quickly than was envisaged in 1998, we are improving the support to help achieve these targets and added applications. By March 2001 the National Patient Access Team will publish a national Strategic Outline Case setting out the preferred approach for implementing electronic bookings systems up to 2005. From October 2000 a change was made to the General Practitioners terms of service to legitimise the use of Electronic Patient Records in general practice. There will be national guidance on integrating primary and community EPRs and their architecture and content by September 2001 along with a national approach for implementing the emergency care Electronic Health Record following an assessment of the interim outcomes from current pilots in NHS sites.