NHS challenged by government to go paperless by 2018

The government has laid down a target for the NHS to go entirely paperless by 2018, a move that it believes will save more than four billion pounds while improving services.

In a speech to the thinktank Policy Exchange, health secretary Jeremy Hunt said all patients should have compatible digital records so their personal information can follow them around the health and social care system, giving doctors instant access to the relevant data at all times.

By March 2015, Mr Hunt said anyone who wishes to should be able to get online access to their own health records, while other interim goals include paperless referrals and the formulation of plans for secure linking of electronic health and care records.

In addition to saving money, this would reduce administration time for medical professionals and allow individuals to take control of their own care.

Mr Hunt said: "It is crazy that ambulance drivers cannot access a full medical history of someone they are picking up in an emergency – and that GPs and hospitals still struggle to share digital records."

The plans have been met with a mixed reaction, with campaign group Big Brother Watch expressing concern that this move could lead to patients' privacy being infringed.