§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has for IT development to enable radiology consultants in the NHS to access images from their homes when on duty; [123161]
(2) if he will list the hospital trusts who have invested in ISDN lines for computers, to enable consultant radiologists to access images from their homes when on duty. [123162]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation about local investment in ISDN lines by trusts is not held centrally.
Access to radiology images online is part of the integrated care records service (ICRS), which is core to the National Programme for Information Technology. This supports the implementation of the national strategic programme, "Delivering 21st Century IT-Support for the NHS" which was announced by my noble Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, following the publication of "Delivering the NHS Plan" 11 June 2002.
Phase 1 of ICRS to December 2004 will provide clinicians with the capability to email, browse internet/intranet sites and view basic clinical information relating to their patients (demographics, limited clinical correspondence and laboratory and radiology results), whether they were in primary, community or secondary care settings.
It is a matter for local trusts to determine whether and how to provide access to patient records, including radiology images, in the light of local working practices and national security and confidentiality guidance.