§ Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if general practitioners have achieved the target set by his Department of 80 per cent. making use of computerised systems by April 1991.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettIt is believed that the target set, in "Agenda for Action", to have 80 per cent. of general practices in Wales computerised, has not been achieved. The current estimate is 60 to 65 per cent. computerised. The position will be confirmed through a survey of general practice computerisation presently being undertaken in England and Wales by the Department of Health. To achieve the target figures, GPs will need to be encouraged to computerise their practices. Computerisation is being promoted by:
- (a) the two GP computing advisers for Wales and family health service authority (FHSAs) IT officers.
- (b) proposed changes to the direct reimbursement scheme for GP practice computerisation to make it more flexible, and by devolving funds for managing the scheme from the Welsh Office to FHSAs.
- (c) the GP computing project which aims, over a three-year period, to increase and co-ordinate the spread and utilisation of general practice computing in Wales.