Table 1 Summary of an ongoing investigation of the introduction of electronic health record (EHR) software in specialist care settings as part of the England's National Programme for Information Technology (NPfIT)

Background: As part of the English National Programme for Information Technology, trusts are encouraged to implement centrally procured Electronic Health Record Software. However, the introduction of such systems in healthcare settings radically transforms the nature of healthcare professional work practices.

Aim: The overall aim of the research is to explore early views and experiences of healthcare professionals using the new EHR system in selected secondary and community care settings.

Methods: We are conducting a mixture of semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders including implementation team members, healthcare professionals and other users of the software in selected early implementer trusts. This is complemented by observations of users.