§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to prevent contra-indication prescription errors when electronic prescriptions are introduced. [176747]
§ Mr. HuttonThere is growing United Kingdom and international evidence that appropriate use of information technology can help significantly reduce human error in the use of paper records. Securing this important benefit is one of the key objectives of the national health service national programme for IT (NPfIT).
Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): medical staff within the clinical radiology specialty by grade—England at 30 September numbers (headcount) All staff Consultant Non-consultant career grade Doctors in training Hospital practitioner/Clinical assistant Other community health service staff 1997 2,014 1,442 12 521 39 — 1998 2,075 1,481 15 541 38 — 1999 2,164 1,507 21 605 31 — 2000 2,303 1,585 28 655 35 — 2001 2,454 1,645 33 743 32 1 2002 2,538 1,702 29 774 32 1 2003 2,693 1,810 38 818 27 —
Whole-time equivalents All staff Consultant Non-consultant career grade Doctors in training Hospital practitioner/Clinical assistant Other community health service staff 1997 1,895 1,364 8 507 16 — 1998 1,935 1,387 11 524 13 — 1999 2,028 1,414 16 587 10 — 2000 2,134 1,460 21 639 13 — 2001 2,256 1,492 22 729 11 1 2002 2,371 1,582 22 754 11 1 2003 2,505 1,669 28 799 9 — Source: Department of Health medical and dental workforce census The number of headcount and whole-time equivalent staff in clinical radiology has increased by 34 per cent. and 32 per cent. respectively since September 1997.