What irritates me somewhat in what you say is the implication that some of has have vested interests while others have only the good of humanity in mind.
As I see it everybody involved is attempting to steer developments in a direction that best suits their philosophy and personal interests and I'd be surprised is most of those who are knowledgeable (including Ahmad) aren't either already making some money out of their role as pundit/consultant or supplier or actively involved in plans to do so - and good luck to them.
Ahmad has been very clear and honest about his deep seated objection to Primary Care Groups and his lobbying has helped bring about some changes which I guess most of us would welcome. However, he still remains vehemently opposed to Primary Care Groups giving him every reason to paint the blackest possible picture of the IT issues associated with Primary Care Groups
As I said in my UMIST presentation. Primary Care Groups will require substantial investment in IT to achieve there medium term objectives but they don't require anything radical before 1 April 1998 other than ensuring that the right communications infrastructure is in place. I have been very critical about NHSNet but am currently persuaded that it should be given one last chance to reposition itself to provide this infrastructure and hopeful that NHS Executive will make the changes needed to allow this.
I talked to lots of people about the information required for the commissioning role of Primary Care Groups, which is a small but urgent part of what Primary Care Groups are about. I have taken particular note of those involved in TPPs and existing commissioning activities who are saying that existing Health Authorities contracting systems are well placed to provide the data Primary Care Groups will need to support the commissioning process. These people doubt the need for GP practice generated data on provider activity (as provided by fundholding systems) and understand that such data can't be produced for Primary Care Groups by 1 April 98 in any case.
So I stick by may "Don't Panic" view and suggest you follow the advice from NHS Executive and wait for further guidance. However, as I said in my presentation I wouldn't wait for the Information Strategy (which is a changed position from earlier presentations) as the growing rumours I hear that it will not appear before the Autumn make me despair. I don't however feel the blame for these continuing delays rest with Frank Burns or the IMG who I am sure share my frustration.
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Ewan Davis
AAH Meditel - Voice +44 (1) 527 579414 Fax +44(1)527 837287
Email [log in to unmask] also at [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Ahmad Risk [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, July 11, 1998 9:47 AM
To: GP-UK; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The IT infrastructure needs of PCGs
***Warning: if anyone feels libeled by what follows: sue me!***
On Fri, 10 Jul 1998 22:58:37 +0100, Adrian Midgley wrote:
>[log in to unmask], writes:
>>What I need:
>yep.
[snip stuff that him and I and many others agree on]
Looks to me that Midge and I should be advising HMG/IMG instead of the
Mafia and the band of hangers-on who have had such a stranglehold on
development for so long that they appear now to be deliberately placing
obstacles in our path.
Even better still, why not put Midge and I in executive charge of the
party?
Hopes were raised when Frank Burns went out to 'consult' last year. We
got all excited. We have given good advice. Plenty of it. Time and
again. We were told that the 'new' strategy is nearly there, hang on,
it's just round the corner, yes yes, it'll be out in the Spring, no
no, the summer, oh no, just hang on there, autumn. To date, there
is no sign of this elusive 'new' strategy. It appears also that said
'new' stratgey is not much different from the old anyway.
Frank Burns goes in a month or two. The People's verdict: Mr Burns:
you have not delivered and now it is an 'SEP' (someone else's problem)
and we are back in this sad and corrupt cycle of nothingness despite
plenty jobs for the boys.
For those doing PCGs, there are less than 30 weeks to put everything
in place. take 4 weeks out for summer hols and 4 weeks for xmas, you
are left with 22 weeks. That is 110 days! 110 f***ing days! and no
one seems to care as long as they continue to draw salaries and huge
support and consultancy and advice fees.
The alternative, of course, is that we go private and try to fund
what we need through advertising and sponsorship deals etc.
Going private means, of course, is that we say once and for all:
goodbye NHSnet, goodbye national IM&T strategy, Tory Blair promises:
kiss my a**, and we just do what we want to do because it can be done
now but there are so many hangers-on who don't want to see this
happening because it will put them out of a job.
We can't have that, can we? ;-)
Ahmad
________________________________________
Dr Ahmad Risk
http://mednetics.org
home: +44 1273 748198
work: +44 1737 240022
fax: +44 1737 244660
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