§ 31. Mr. Mortonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has issued any guidance to regional health authorities about the information that should be recorded by doctors or midwives and retained in the records of the regional health authorities.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergInformation recorded by doctors and midwives and other health care staff is required primarily for the care and treatment of patients. Selected information is also used for the planning and provision of services, and for research and statistical purposes. The Department has issued no recent guidance on this, but advice is given as necessary on the recording of information for particular purposes. The steering group on health services information, chaired by Mrs. Körner, vice-chairman of the South-Western regional health authority, is reviewing many aspects of NHS information arrangements.