HL Deb 13 November 2001 vol 628 cc72-3WA
Baroness Noakes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 5 November (WA 4):

  1. (a) what minimum functionality will be provided for all clinical staff by way of desktop access by April 2002; and
  2. (b) how many clinicians will have exclusive desktop access; how many will share desktop access between two or more clinicians; and how many will share desktop access with non-clinicians. [HL1226]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The minimum functionality provided is for basic e-mail, browsing and access to national applications.

Our target of enabling desktop access for all clinical staff in National Health Service trusts by March 2002 is well on the way to being met. Indications are that clinicians will have access appropriate to their local working practice by the target date.

Baroness Noakes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of appointment bookings, referrals, radiology and laboratory tests and results will be capable of being made through the use of NHSnet by April 2002. [HL1227]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

It is expected that 60 per cent. of general practitioner practices will be capable of receiving laboratory test results from March 2002. Further messages will be implemented[...] following two years. Appointment boo[...] to be fully implemented electro[...].

Baroness Noakes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether all general practitioner practices will be connected to NHSnet by April 2002. [HL1229]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

At the end of October 2001, over 97 per cent. of general practitioner practices were connected to NHSnet. It is expected that by March 2002 nearly all GP practices will be connected.

Baroness Noakes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much was spent by the National Health Service on information technology in 2000–01; and how much is planned to be spent in each of the years 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04. [HL1230]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

We do not have figures for total information technology spend by the National Health Service. Budgets are devolved to NHS local organisations, whose spend varies according to local circumstance. Comprehensive figures which involve implementation, maintenance and development costs for IT across all areas of NHS activity are not separately collected. For future years funds are made available for information management and technology investment but maintenance of the existing infrastructure remains a locally variable cost within the baseline of individual NHS organisations. The total planned expenditure is an issue for each organisation.