§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts he now expects to achieve EPR level 3 by 2004; how many have already purchased relevant systems; and how many have now submitted outline business cases. [9408]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 22 October 2001]: Currently five sites have full EPR level 3 functionality while many more have implemented elements of the EPR on route to meeting level 3.
We are currently reviewing the way EPR level 3 can be assessed in the light of operational experience, which show that national health service trusts choose different routes to EPR based on local priority. It is important that these decisions are made on the basis of local circumstances. We are implementing an on-line performance management arrangement.
There are some 62 outline business cases at various stages of the approval process and a further nine have already been approved.