Computing and IT Department 

Maria Routledge, Gillian Chester and Linda Johnson

Maria started working for Minden Medical Centre in 1987, Gillian started in 1990 and Linda who works 17 hours per week helping with data entry as well as 3½ days as a receptionist for the Bull desk.

There has been a phenomenal change is the number of computers and the use made of them in the 13 years that I've been at Minden. Minden got its first computer in 1985. By 1987 Minden had 4 computers 3 of which were based in the reception office and one on a trolley which was moved from doctor to doctor to let them 'have a go' at using the computer system. The main use of the computers at that time was to hold the Age/Sex Register and produce repeat prescriptions. The computer system now consists of a Windows NT Network of 35 workstations soon to be increased to 39 workstations.

The computer system is now used for all patient based administration including the vast majority of day to day data entry, links to the HA for registration, Links to the Pathology Department and now with the introduction of the NHS Net the potential to Link with Hospitals and other practices (currently piloting GP2GP tranfer of patient records). 

We are a paperlight practice.

With the introduction of the NHS Connecting for Health (CfH) this is bringing changes.  All GPs now utilise Choose and Book and offer Choice to patients.  All staff within Minden use a Smartcard when logging on to assist in future developments of the Nation Care Record Summary (Further details of how this affects patients will be available in due course)

As you can see from the above they are kept extremely busy but this obviously makes the days fly by and on the whole our time at Minden is very enjoyable except of course when the computer system is 'Off Line' for any reason, when they are the most unpopular people in the building!