This week on EHI Primary Care, an article by Dr Neil Paul about the difficulty of getting patients to comment on his practice website has attracted much interest from readers.

The website was developed as one element of a partly NHS North West-funded project to deliver interlinked web 2.0 platforms for practices in south Cheshire. One of its aims was to improve public engagement; but as many an empty online forum has proved this can be easier said than done.

In his column, Dr Paul debates some possible strategies for overcoming this; but some EHI readers wonder if a population of patients will ever form a natural online community.

Elsewhere, we report on support for the EHI CCIO Campaign from Susan Hamer, NHS Connecting for Health’s nursing lead, who is also planning some work on IT leadership for nurses later in September. And we cover a freshly launched Department of Health consultation on data returns, which seeks to scrap 25% of all returns.

DH launches data returns consultation

The Department of Health has launched a consultation on the "fundamental review of data returns" that was promised in the 'Liberating the NHS' white paper.

Nurses urged to lead on informatics

NHS Connecting for Health's chief nurse is to launch a programme to develop leadership skills for nurses in informatics.

Computer tool to assess CCG readiness

The Department of Health is to develop a computerised self-assessment tool to help emerging clinical commissioning groups decide whether they are likely to be judged fit for purpose.

Katie Davis to speak at EHI Live 2011

The managing director of NHS Informatics, Katie Davis, has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at EHI Live 2011, where she will deliver the closing address.

Sleep apnoea service wins award

Trillian, a startup based at St John's Innovation Centre in Cambridge, has won a competition to find new ways to help people living with long term medical conditions.

Peterborough council takes ICS

Peterborough City Council has become the latest local authority to adopt Liquidlogic's Protocol integrated children's system.

NICE changes advice on blood pressure

Patients suspected of having hypertension should be asked to wear a monitor for 24 hours in order to check their blood pressure has not been raised by going to the doctor's.

"Technologists walk into the room and nurses walk out. That cannot be sustained; it is not good for nursing."

Susan Hamer, NHS Connecting for Health's chief nurse, argues that nurses need to take a grip of the informatics agenda.

"Surely a company whose hosting is accredited to GPSoC level 4 have redundancy right across the board?"