[Wolves] Sun Java Desktop (going off topic in a mad Rant!)

[Mo Awkati]

Hi folk
The issues with public sector organisations taking up
open source is not about the capabilities of Linux,
its the politics. The culture in public services is
that very few are prepared to take a "risk". Often
decisions are made by elected councillors who are lay
people and rely on the senior managers to advise them.

I think its a shame, but until a big public sector
organisation moves over it will take a long time.

Mo


 --- Steve Ruffles <douseruffles at spruffles.plus.com>
wrote: > Simon asked <huge snip> What kind of stuff
are we
> talking about here? 
> 
> I'm not sure I'll get the language right here, but
> will try to describe a
> typical system.
> 
> 1. Each patient has a record with a unique number.
> 2. Info' kept on screens accessed by keystrokes one
> screen for
> identification data/ registration/nhs
> number/dob/demographic data/ address
> etc. 
> 3. Other screens for a/summarised clinical events
> such as accidents/
> operations/illnesses, b/ current and past
> mediaction, c/ immunisations
> given, d/a contemporaneous record of each
> consulataion with health worker -
> with coded and free text entries, plus numerous
> other screens - I'm sure you
> get the idea.  
> 4. A system for coding disease episodes and other
> interventions - we
> currently use Read Codes, but also a system called
> ICD10, and another called
> SNOMED are in use in NHS and health care systems
> here and abroad.
> 5. In built search facilities for audit and
> research.
> 6. In built WP/ spreadsheet facility for referral
> letters.
> 7. We have on our system access to scanned images of
> incoming letters about
> patients from hospital or elsewhere - bit clumsy and
> memory hungry I think.
> 8. A hierarchy of access levels for security and
> confidentiality of patient
> data.
> 9. Ability to talk to hospital systems so lab
> results can be downloaded into
> patient records.
> 10.Abiity for it to be interrogated by admindroids
> software for governance
> and payment and performance data.
> 11.Runs across network - or thin client system.
> 
> Must be other things I've missed.
> Road testing and approval would be nightmare in
> current NHS - but not my
> field. I'm the bloke who would use it when
> consulting with patients.
> Lots of these sytems about that run on windows in
> use in NHS mostly crap (no
> unfair - just cumbersome and never quite the
> ticket).
> Seen links on web to some open source stuff too (not
> in UK) - but can't
> understand the lingo and haven't seen anything on
> screen.
> 
> I think there'd be a market if NHS migrates from
> Windows - just might
> happen!
> 
> Could show you system if you're local/ interested.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Steve Ruffles
> 
> 
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