NHS Commissioning Board (Mandate)

Helen Goodman Excerpts

Tuesday 13th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

I absolutely agree. That can be hugely transformational in terms of patient outcomes. Many patients would be astonished to know that a full medical record is not available to consultants in hospitals before they operate on them. We need to put that right because it could transform the decisions that surgeons take in extreme cases. So my hon. Friend is right, and we must press on with this very fast.

[Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

The Secretary of State and the whole Government are keen to deliver public services using the internet and online. He mentioned in particular people with long-term conditions being able to communicate with their doctors online. The Department for Work and Pensions has found that 6.5 million people who will be entitled to universal credit have never used a computer. Has he any knowledge at all of how many of those with long-term conditions are computer literate?

[Mr Hunt]

Some will be, some won’t be, but the hon. Lady should not underestimate the computer literacy of people who are adopting the internet at breakneck speed, including the 40% of pensioners who now do their banking online.