Work progresses on the Community Care Support Service - a ?7? million information technology scheme that the DHSS Minister took to Tynwald earlier this year.

It will link together all the patient records of Manx residents, meaning that information from different parts of the health service - for example at the hospital AND within GP surgeries - can be accessed by the relevant carer on a strictly 'need to know' basis.

The system will be completely secure - which means that only the specific part of a patient record necessary for treatment can be called up, and nobody will have carte blanche access to the complete file.

The scheme is being championed by the Strategic Information Development Directorate. Director, Paul Harper (pictured), says it's a big move forward from the current 'legacy' systems in use: