In article <[log in to unmask]>, Adrian Midgley
<[log in to unmask]> writes

>>>A compromise solution might be a secure mailing list whose subscribers
>>>were limited to a named panel of GP advisors. Requests for advice
>would
>>>therefore only be circulated to members of the panel. 
>
>>Because the list will be administred manually (ie from a local machine
>>rather than a server/majordomo), the moderator (me) has total control
>>of all incoming and outgoing traffic.
>
>>I like the idea of a named panel of experts.  This good.  This is
>>'knowledge vending' in its simplest.
>
>I had envisaged this being one of the strands run in the Knowledge 
>Service part of the services layer of the PCG IT solutionset. 
>I had envisaged it including specialists, and extending beyond 
>general and specific clinical queries to occupational health for GPs 
>and to parts of the conduct of the political management of the 
>megapartnership and the LMC.

Who selects the panel of "experts", and on what criteria? 
Do the "experts" have an obligation to be available for *considered*
advice? (i.e. serious quotable opinions, not GP-UK chat :->>)
When it comes to non-clinical matters, doesn't this give an enormous
potential for abuse of power? (One of the questions raised in response
to the consultation document on implementation of Caldicott concerned
this - the appointment of the Caldicott Guardians was to be in the gift
of the Chief Executives..)[1]

In any case, would the confidentiality aspects of the original problem -
getting advice on potentially identifiable individuals - be resolved by
this means?

>
>How much of it eventually will continue to cascade upward[1] remains 
>to be seen.

With the control freaks in power, possibly quite a lot! ;-<<
Remember the consequences of being granted wishes in "The Five Children
and It"? ;->>

Mary
[1] All animals are equal but some are more equal than others
<paranoid> feeling like one of the others</paranoid>
>
>--------------------
>[1] oops, metaphor user error
>--- OffRoad 1.9r registered to Adrian Midgley

Mary Hawking Kingsbury Court Surgery Church Street Dunstable LU5 4RS
tel:01582 663218 (surgery)fax:01582 476488 (surgery)
Member of British Healthcare Internet Association
Dunstable and Houghton Regis Locality Commisssioning Pilot


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