GP Pan User Group debates data migration

Concern about the costs of data migration under the new system choice initiative was voiced by representatives at the first meeting of the GP super user group set up by Connecting for Health.

The GP Pan User Group (GP PUG) meeting spent its inaugural session hearing about the GP Systems of Choice (GPSoC) initiative and discussing Choose and Book as well as debating terms of reference for the group.

The group was set up by Connecting for Health (CfH) to use the expertise of users of existing systems and to emphasise that existing GP systems do have a place in the National Programme for IT.

EHI Primary Care understands that some members were critical of the GPSoC proposal that practices could have to meet their own data migration costs if they move to a system outside local service provider contracts.

One GP PUG member said: “Some of the smaller groups felt that they weren’t really happy at all that migration costs would not be covered. It does seem a tiny amount of money compared with how much burden is being taken off primary care trusts in terms of system maintenance.”

GP PUG is made up of 21 members including user representatives from the eight GP system suppliers involved in GPSoC, leads from the five clusters and representation from the joint IT committee of the British Medical Association and the Royal College of GPs IT committee plus a representative from the Independent Doctors Forum.

Richard Gunn, chair of the iSOFT user Group, attended the meeting and said he welcomed the formation of the group.

He told EHI Primary Care: “It’s definitely a step forward and expands the level of user involvement which has got be a good thing. My impression was that problems and issues will be listened to by people who have the ability to make changes.”

The group is chaired by CfH’s national GP clinical leads, Dr Gillian Braunold and Professor Mike Pringle, who outlined to the group how they hoped GP PUG would work as well as discussing GPSoC.

Dr Braunold said the meeting had been an extremely productive two-way dialogue. She added: “I believe the representatives went away with a better understanding of the commitment NHS CfH has to see existing GP systems supported through GP Systems of Choice.”

The group also heard a presentation on Choose and Book from Dr John Nicholas, a national lead for the e-booking service.

Dr Sarah Young, a GP in Kent and representative of the Ascribe system (formerly Protechnic Exeter) said she was pleased the group had been set up to help ensure that IT developments reflected the needs of the people using the system

She added: “I’m very enthusiastic about Ascribe and delighted to be included in the group. It’s early days and I guess my biggest fear would be that it becomes a talking shop but the chairs of the meeting were very keen that wouldn’t be the case.”

However another member expressed concern about how much GP PUG could achieve in two hour bi-monthly meetings with 21 members.

Minutes of the meeting will be published on the CfH website when they have been approved.

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