The Department for Health (DoH) is vaguely planning to probably introduce electronic medical records online for patients at some point in the future. A confusing message? Yes we thought so too.

Although a report in the Guardian on Tuesday said the government will implement a new system of online patient care records by the end of parliament, the DoH was unclear of its plans when V3 asked for more details of the strategy.

Electronic medical records was one recommendation made by the NHS Future Forum last June in a report that also advised the government on a number of other ways to modernise the NHS.

On Tuesday, the DoH said it would accept the advice from the Future Forum, but in a press release the department only outlined its plans to improve the education and training of health care workers, improve integrated care for patients and promote healthy living.

No reference to online electronic records was made.

V3 contacted the DoH to ask how it was planning to implement the online system and when patients could expect to see it in action.

"We support the recommendation," said the spokesman, before adding that he could not comment on whether the DoH has any online electronic record strategy in place, or whether the department was even discussing the issue.

"We can be certain about implementing it as much as we can be certain about anything," he added. Well that's crystal clear then.

13 Jan 2012