This is the one of the most key points that seems to be overlooked - once
the main data server for your practice data lies outside the practice, you
lose real control. Our local practices that have gone for a central server
have not got written guarantees of exactly what can and can't be done with
their data, and do not have any written confirmation of indemnity against
data breaches by staff at the data centre. So if a rogue data staff causes a
confidentiality breach - guess who is liable - the good old GP.
This is why I have recently set up a new server in our practice (using
monies given to us for practice development, even though we were due for a
free server upgrade) which is significantly higher spec than we need. The
intention is that it should last until at least the end of the next
government, by which time NPfIT may well have failed spectacularly, and
several GPs will have been sued and up before the GMC for breeching patient
confidentiality because their remote data has been misused. The GP IT
landscape may look a little different then...
Laurie Miles
-----Original Message-----
From: GP-UK [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Adrian Midgley
Sent: 27 October 2004 09:50 pm
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [GP-UK] Accenture
There is coverage in Computer Weekly this week including a leader on the
dismissal of the well-formed criticisms and senisible suggestions by a group
of MPs on previous (pardon me "existing") public IT cock-ups and a legal
note about data processors and controllers.
I know I control the data on my server in my Practice now, when the server
is outside I do not think I control it, and if someone else is running
distribution I am convinced control has been re-located.
--
Adrian Midgley Open Source software is better
GP, Exeter http://www.defoam.net/
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