A theme of the updated strategy, available on www.show.scot.nhs.uk is rationalisation of systems and the underlying infrastructure.Commitments are made in the strategy to national programmes of work to bring best practice and consistent benefits to patients across Scotland including:Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation between primary and secondary care on an all Scotland basis.Scottish Care Information programme bringing important elements of common infrastructure to enable sharing of information across NHSScotland.National systems for health screening and child care.Rationalisation of patient indexes and use of the Community Health Index as a unique patient identifier across all NHSScotland systems.National information standards covering clinical messages, security and confidentiality of patient identifiable information, electronic patient and health records and technical standards based on the Government Interoperability Framework.Collaboration to produce coherent IM&T strategies across NHSBoard areas to make best use of resources and systems across the area and compatibility with other NHSScotland areas.National contracts for telecommunications networks and services.A coherent national approach to corporate support systems such as payroll, human resources, finance and supplies.