BMA chair to lead top level IT working party

The British Medical Association is to suspend its information management committee and replace it with a top level working party on NHS IT.

The new working party will be chaired by BMA chairman Jim Johnson and involve the chairs of all the so-called craft committees which represent consultants, junior doctors, GPs and specialist and associate grades. The chairman of the ethics committee, Dr Michael Wilkes will also be on board.

The working party is likely to address some of the central concerns held by the BMA over the national programme including patient confidentiality. It will also have the clout to meet directly with ministers.