Pharmacists are being urged to play their part in the NHS Information Authority’s national consultation on patient confidentiality. The Authority says pharmacy professionals’ views are important because of their expanding role in patient care and the electronic records systems.Marlene Winfield, who is leading the consultation for the Authority, said pharmacists were now required to have access to more information about patients than they had in the past.

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Local councils are to get an extra 113 million pounds over the next three years to improve foster care. The Choice Protects Grant will be used to ensure all children have access to high quality foster care placements regardless of disability and race.The first 20 million pounds of the grant will be available in 2003-4, with a further 33 million payable in the next year and the final 60 million in 2005-6. Health Minister Jacqui Smith said the money would be allocated to help local authorities to expand and strengthen their overall fostering as well as improving the quality and choice of placements for children.

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By Babak Khakpour Reproduced by permission of eGov Monitor Weekly. Jim Haslem, President of the Society of IT Management and Head of Information Systems at the London Borough of Bromley talks to Babak Khakpour about the National Strategy for local eGovernment and fundamental issues for implementing the plan. He expresses concerns about the connections between local government and the other parts of the public sector. He senses that big decisions are being taken without the implications being thought through.