This time from the Tories, who have decided that the £billions already spent on the “medical records” database, should be written off and our health records given to Google or Microsoft to look after.
The Conservatives, who have close links with Google, argue that developing a database would be unnecessarily expensive, and it would be more beneficial to hold the information on secure
systems which already exist, such as Microsoft Healthvault or Google Health. Patients would be given the choice of storing their records with private companies, although it is not yet clear what would happen to the notes of patients who do not consent.
The Tories estimate that if data were outsourced to sites such as these, the country would save half of the £1.65 billion it spends on IT annually.
The National Programme for IT, one of the biggest computer contracts in the world, is designed to link more than 30,000 GPs to nearly 300 hospitals.
Parliament's public accounts committee however warned in January that if the scheme was not showing signs of moving forward by July, hospitals should have the option to ditch the plans.
The new system is designed to provide an online booking system, centralised medical records for 50 million patients, e-prescriptions and fast computer links.
But the MPs' report found that progress was "very disappointing" with further delays expected. A revised completion target of 2014/15, already four years behind schedule, was "in doubt", while the report also found the scheme was now costing taxpayers an estimated £12.7 billion.
Do you want Google or Microsoft to hold your medical records?
I know I don’t.
Angus
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