New NHS IT system will preserve patient confidentiality

New NHS information technology (IT) systems will save lives, the health minister, John Hutton, claimed last week, when he launched a new phase of publicity for the NHS's national programme for information technology. He also insisted that only staff with a legitimate relationship to a patient would be able to view their details.

Mr Hutton was adamant that fears that the new systems might cause further delays and complications for staff and patients were misplaced: “This is the biggest civil IT project underway anywhere in the world today. Not everything is going to go smoothly all of the time, and we're …