How a US computer firm could soon get its hands on YOUR NHS medical records

Anyone who has ever had to navigate the NHS as a patient or carer will no doubt know the frustration and fear often caused by this vast organisation's woeful inability to communicate within itself. Your medical records are mislaid, an appointment wasn't made -- or you weren't told about it; clinics use phone numbers and addresses you've moved on from years ago. Or clinicians don't seem to know about the outcomes of previous appointments with other care teams. But could the NHS's left hand finally soon know what its right hand is doing? Early next month, NHS England is to sign a £480 million contract to build a master data-controlling system, linking up all the computer systems used across hospitals, GP practices and admin departments so they can'talk' to each other.