The nine projects at the heart of NHS IT

NHS Care Records Service

The NHS Care Records Service (CRS) will allow doctors to access patient information wherever they are, rather than struggling to find paper documents stored wherever the patient was last treated.

1,200 people die each year in England and Wales as a result of medication errors - a figure that could be slashed if up-to-date information such as drug allergies and previous treatments was easily accessible to doctors.

Each Care Record will be formed from information held in a number of places, which is automatically brought together when it is needed. A summary will be held on a national database called The Spine so that vital information - name, address, date of birth, allergies and A&E visits - can always be accessed.

In depth information - such as tests, X-rays, scans and other results - will be held locally.

What progress so far?

Phase one of the project, due to be completed in summer 2005, included the booking of outpatient appointments and the ability of health and care professionals to view basic patient information.

Under phase two, due to be completed in summer 2006, doctors will be able to access more detailed patient records, make electronic requests and orders for diagnostic images and pathology, and be notified of emergency and out-of-hours encounters.

According to the NHS, each trust can join the programme when "the functionality is equal or greater than they currently enjoy" or where there is a good business driver for them to join the programme.