NHS appoints IT supremo

The UK health service has found a leader for its recently formed national IT division - the NHS Information Authority - which will spearhead its electronic patient records scheme.

Following a national recruitment campaign, Professor Alastair Bellingham will become the authority's chairman. Bellingham has served most of his career in academic haematology, holding the chair at Kings College Medical School between 1984 and 1997.

Chief executive of the NHS Executive, Sir Alan Langlands, said Bellingham will bring a wealth of experience to the position, helping to ensure the NHS Information Authority gets off to a successful start.

As head of the authority, Bellingham's primary tasks will be to steer the electronic patient records scheme launched last year by health minister, Frank Dobson. Other responsibilities will include the implementation of clinical information standards and IT benchmarking throughout the health sector.

Bellingham will work alongside Dr Peter Drury, who was recently appointed to lead a second newly created IT division called the Information Policy Unit. The twin organisations will together lead the NHS's new IT strategy.