Key NHS system prepares for upgrade

NHS Connecting for Health is upgrading its controversial Choose and Book system this weekend.

In order to implement the upgrade, Choose and Book will be unavailable over the weekend of 29 to 30 April.

The Electronic Booking Service - commonly known as Choose and Book - allows GPs to make hospital appointments at a convenient time for patients.

The idea is that when patients need to be referred to a consultant they can book the appointment on the spot with their GP. Alternatively they can do it online or over the phone.

The system aims to cut the time between visiting a GP and receiving an appointment from a hospital, which can often take weeks.

But the system has been subject to long delays - finally coming into service a year later than expected.

So far 296,655 Choose and Book bookings have been made.

The NHS said GP practices and trusts using Choose and Book do not need to do anything locally as the upgrade will be completed centrally.

The agency said the new release - 3.0 - will provide functionality to support the "extended choice initiative". And it said current users of Choose and Book should familiarise themselves with the new functionality ahead of 2 May if they wish to make the most of the changes.