UK nurses query e-health safety claims:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Half of UK NHS nurses doubt that electronic patient records will improve safety, and a larger proportion "do not believe or do not know whether the NHS can deliver the e-records in the foreseeable future". So says the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) of its fourth annual survey on the national IT programme. Of the 2,600 nurses surveyed, 66% welcome the introduction of the e-record, but there is nevertheless widespread uncertainty surrounding its impact on confidentiality, with 30% feeling that it will be no more secure than paper records. Two-thirds remain critical of the lack of involvement in the new system's design or development. Summarising the findings, RCN general secretary Dr Peter Carter noted, however, that progress had been made in some areas and that the nursing community remains generally supportive.