EHealth Insider diary,

It’s very nearly the festive season, and GP magazine Pulse is getting ready to publish its Christmas awards list. The awards are entirely tongue in cheek; last year’s included ‘white elephant of the year’ (which went to Lord Darzi for his polyclinics) and ‘least terrifying pandemic of the year’ (no prizes for guessing that one). This year’s awards are kicking off with a reader poll for ‘pantomime villain of the year’, from a shortlist of five that rather surprisingly includes Jim Easton, the DH’s efficiency lead.

Easton’s boo, hiss moment was welcoming the idea of call centres to handle GP appointments, as outlined in a DH-commissioned efficiency review. Well, it was boo, hiss from GPs. Some patients rather liked the idea of doing away with the fearsome receptionist lurking at their practice door. The award is a great idea; nominations from the world of NHS IT, please.