HC Deb 28 May 2004 vol 422 c146W
Mr. Lansley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the NHS IT forum of clinical advisers has met; and when it last met. [173091]

Mr. Hutton

Previous meetings of the National Clinical Advisory Board were held on:

  • 2 October 2003
  • 27 November 2003
  • 15 January 2004
  • 16 March 2004
  • 13 May 2004.

The Department issued a press notice on 30 April 2004 to outline the plans to continue and improve engagement with patient and national health service stakeholders in order to support the implementation of the national programme for information technology (NPfIT). This follows on from the appointment of Aidan Halligan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, as joint senior responsible owner and director general for NPfIT, who now has responsibility for leading on the preparations and planning for implementation across the NHS.

The first step has been to set up a new frontline support academy for clinicians. The formal arrangements for engaging with key groups is also being reviewed and an announcement will be made later in the summer.