A HOSPITAL is among the first in the country to implement new patient administration software.

Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, is the first acute trust in the south east to benefit from the system, which is part of the NHS's £6.2bn national programme of information technology.

The new system, which was installed in November, will gradually be rolled out across the rest of the country over the next four years and the hospital is confident the software will enable it to provide a more efficient service to patients.

A hospital spokesman said: "The idea is there will be computerised records which link together nationwide. Eventually NHS patient records will be accessible at the touch of a button wherever the patient is in the country."