BT wins NHS contract for broadband network
A contract to provide and manage a broadband network — known as N3 (new national network) — to link all NHS organisations in England has been awarded to BT. The position of community pharmacies in the contract is unclear.
The new network will enable transmission of voice and video information,
as well as data, including e-mails, medical information, test results
and GP payment information. The new network supersedes NHSnet.
All confidential medical information transmitted over the network will
be secured using industry standard security protocols. In addition, confidential
medical information will be protected by further security measures built
into the NHS Care Records Service.
N3 is the largest stakeholder in the cross-governmental Broadband Aggregation
Project, which will increase national broadband coverage by aggregating
all public sector demand, including that from schools and libraries.
It is also a key part of the National Programme for Information Technology,
which aims to give health care professionals access to patient information
safely and easily, whenever and wherever it is needed. The national programme
is seen as an essential element in delivering the NHS plan. It will create
a multi-billion pound information infrastructure, which will improve
patient care by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of clinicians
and other NHS staff. It will do this by:
· Creating an NHS Care Records Service to improve the sharing of records
of consenting patients across the NHS
· Making it easier and faster for GPs and other primary care staff to
book hospital appointments for patients
· Providing a system for electronic transmission of prescriptions
· Ensuring the IT infrastructure can meet NHS needs now and in the future
Although the Department of Health says that the contract will provide
for services to all NHS sites, community pharmacies are not included. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal