The next time you go to the doctor or visit someone in hospital, think of the healthcare-related information (e.g. some of it covering your address and date of birth, some of it relating to your medical history) that might be related to either you or the person you are visiting. How much of it is stored in electronic form (e.g. databases) and how much of it is paper based (e.g.

documents in files)? How do you think that information ‘flows’ around the various parts of the healthcare system (e.g. local doctors’ surgeries,

hospitals)? Ask the doctor, nurse or other healthcare staff about their views and see if they can fill in any missing information.