Written question asked by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 17 October 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 26 October 2001. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Friday, 26 October 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he has given existing users of Read codes about the use of legacy data following their adoption of the SNOMED Clinical Terms system. - (Holding answer 22 October 2001).

Answer: Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has given existing users of Read codes about the use of legacy data following their adoption of the SNOMED clinical terms system. [9412] Ms Blears: [holding answer 22 October 2001]: Subject to successful development and testing of SNOMED, clinical terms users and suppliers have been advised not to develop new Read code based systems from April 2003 and that users of existing systems, based on other coding schemes including Read codes, should develop a strategy at local level for moving to the national health service preferred system based on SNOMED clinical terms. SNOMED CT "First Release" will include guidance (documentation) on the use of legacy data in the context of SNOMED CT.

Secondary information