BT's IT solution for the NHS, which remains currently under development, has been criticised over its security procedures for sensitive patient information.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, raised her concerns about the confidentiality of information in the NHS's flagship Connecting for Health IT programme on BBC Radio 4's 'Wired for Health' show.

"If you could hack into an electronic system, which is heavily populated with full clinical details, you might be able to access hundreds of patients' records before it is spotted. That is a major issue because it is a matter of the numbers," she said.

"We worry about the confidentiality of information on the system because even one disaster in the sense of an inappropriate release of information would fatally undermine confidence, possibly forever."

The Connecting for Health program is aiming to provide support for doctors and nurses by allowing them quick and easy access to patient records and X-rays nationwide.

It also aims to improve communications between staff through a new email and directory system and VoIP-capabilities, which should reduce NHS payments on phone bills.