§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the cost of creating, reviewing and maintaining an internet directory of cancer care services; and if he will make a statement; [84240]
(2) what plans he has to introduce and maintain an internet directory of cancer care services and information; and if he will make a statement. [84239]
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§ Mr. HuttonThe Government's Information Management and Technology strategy for the National Health Service "Information for Health", published in September last year, called for (amongst other things) the creation of a National Electronic Library for Health (NELH) of accredited healthcare information that would be made available to patients, the public and healthcare professionals.
One element of the NELH is the provision of information about cancer services. The cost of providing these is estimated at £75,000. The NELH project will be working with voluntary organisations with patient representative groups to promote and make available as widely as possible reliable and relevant information on a number of health topics, including cancer.
The NHS Information Authority is currently working in collaboration with the NHS Executive and the Centre for Health Information Quality to identify the costs and options for creating, reviewing and maintaining online healthcare information services. A business plan will be put to the NHS Information Authority with the objective of creating the NELH by the end of the year.