The National Health Service (NHS) is taking a additional steps to modernise its IT usage, with Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt today announcing a new 10 million "super" NHS website and a computer-based self-booking pilot.
As of this summer, patients will be able to use the NHS Choices website to search databases on hospitals, GPs and care homes, to find information about waiting times, cleanliness and readmission rates. Patients will also be able to leave comments about their hospital experience.
"Our new website will allow the public and clinicians to access a range of information through one super site that will act as a gateway to navigate NHS services," said Hewitt.
The site, created by Dr Foster Intelligence, will have more general health information, including a library of medical literature, multi-media guides to common procedures and health risk assessments.
Hewitt also announced that an appointment booking system will be piloted at libraries in 10 areas across the country.
Using the system, patients with doctor referrals will be able to choose where and when to get treatment. Patients can already do so with their GP, but the service aims to give patients time to research their options. Ultimately, the choose-and-book system will be made available to anyone online.
"Patients will soon be able to choose, with the click of a button, where they want to have their treatment," said Hewitt in a statement. "Patient choice is about people being in control. Patients needing a hospital appointment should have the right to pick and choose their time, date and place."
But health spokesmen from the other leading political parties found fault with the online appointment service.
The Conservative shadow health secretary said the pilot project won't help disadvantaged people, as the poor and elderly are the least likely to go online.
"Patients really need to access information about hospitals, not in a library, but at the point of referral, in their GP surgery, so that they can discuss with their GP the best place for their treatment," Andrew Lansley said in a statement.
The Liberal Democrats' Norman Lamb agreed, calling the site a "gimmick."
"Some of these initiatives smack of gimmickry. How can a librarian match the guidance given by a highly trained GP?" he said in a statement. "Rather than promoting a website offering people a superficial choice between different hospitals, we must genuinely engage with patients about decisions regarding their treatment and the most appropriate clinician."
