Optics left behind in paperless revolution

The announcement of the overhaul of the patient record system by health secretary John Reid this week means that electronic referrals within the Health Service have come a step closer, and in the future paperless distribution of confidential data to hospitals and GPs by optometrists will become necessary.
However, the means to do this Ð via NHSNet, the NHS intranet for Health Service contractors and staff Ð is currently not available to optometrists, even though ministers have confirmed that optometry should be included.
The system is used to connect thousands of NHS organisations and transfer millions of electronic messages every day, including email, administrative data, finance information and statistical returns.
Funding remains the sticking point for optometry, as there has been no finance made available for optometrists to be included within the NHSNet system, despite £45m being found earlier this year to upgrade the network for broadband.
Nevertheless, according to a newsletter released this month by the AOP (Primary Care News, December 2003), optometrists should be able to to join the system via their PCT or equivalent body.
'LOCs negotiating shared care schemes should seriously consider including the cost of NHSNet connection for participating practices within the business plan to PCTs,' the AOP states. 'GPs, in particular, will often be delighted to receive data electronically as it reduces their workload and storage problems.'
It is expected that next year NHSNet will be upgraded to a new system called N3, and the AOP advises that practices and LOCs should consider waiting until details of this are available if there is no urgent need for a connection.The Government has announced that every NHS patient will get an electronic patient record by the end of the decade, although the optical profession is no nearer to knowing of its future involvement.
The announcement of the overhaul of the patient record system by health secretary John Reid this week means that electronic referrals within the Health Service have come a step closer, and in the future paperless distribution of confidential data to hospitals and GPs by optometrists will become necessary.
However, the means to do this Ð via NHSNet, the NHS intranet for Health Service contractors and staff Ð is currently not available to optometrists, even though ministers have confirmed that optometry should be included.
The system is used to connect thousands of NHS organisations and transfer millions of electronic messages every day, including email, administrative data, finance information and statistical returns.
Funding remains the sticking point for optometry, as there has been no finance made available for optometrists to be included within the NHSNet system, despite £45m being found earlier this year to upgrade the network for broadband.
Nevertheless, according to a newsletter released this month by the AOP (Primary Care News, December 2003), optometrists should be able to to join the system via their PCT or equivalent body.
'LOCs negotiating shared care schemes should seriously consider including the cost of NHSNet connection for participating practices within the business plan to PCTs,' the AOP states. 'GPs, in particular, will often be delighted to receive data electronically as it reduces their workload and storage problems.'
It is expected that next year NHSNet will be upgraded to a new system called N3, and the AOP advises that practices and LOCs should consider waiting until details of this are available if there is no urgent need for a connection.The Government has announced that every NHS patient will get an electronic patient record by the end of the decade, although the optical profession is no nearer to knowing of its future involvement.
The announcement of the overhaul of the patient record system by health secretary John Reid this week means that electronic referrals within the Health Service have come a step closer, and in the future paperless distribution of confidential data to hospitals and GPs by optometrists will become necessary.
However, the means to do this Ð via NHSNet, the NHS intranet for Health Service contractors and staff Ð is currently not available to optometrists, even though ministers have confirmed that optometry should be included.
The system is used to connect thousands of NHS organisations and transfer millions of electronic messages every day, including email, administrative data, finance information and statistical returns.
Funding remains the sticking point for optometry, as there has been no finance made available for optometrists to be included within the NHSNet system, despite £45m being found earlier this year to upgrade the network for broadband.
Nevertheless, according to a newsletter released this month by the AOP (Primary Care News, December 2003), optometrists should be able to to join the system via their PCT or equivalent body.
'LOCs negotiating shared care schemes should seriously consider including the cost of NHSNet connection for participating practices within the business plan to PCTs,' the AOP states. 'GPs, in particular, will often be delighted to receive data electronically as it reduces their workload and storage problems.'
It is expected that next year NHSNet will be upgraded to a new system called N3, and the AOP advises that practices and LOCs should consider waiting until details of this are available if there is no urgent need for a connection.