ABSTRACT
Planning requires information. Present trends in the NHS make collecting information that is relevant to planning and managing services a difficult task. Demographic information is recorded in order to identify each individual patient. Characteristically, this consists of name, address and date of birth. Each patient has an NHS number, which is no longer unique, although there are plans for a new numbering system to be issued in the future. Modern general practice requires GPs to consider extending their range of computerization due to the considerable information handling necessary for effective management of the clinical, business and (possibly) fundholding aspects of the practice. Activity information systems, in both general practice and hospitals, are now widely used to create performance indicators and to facilitate medical audit. Furthermore, in the new NHS internal market, they form the basis for financial information, billing and resource allocation.
