(which need less information to clear invoices and build up summarised event based records to help with the measurement of health needs). This latter function also calls for collaboration with local authorities and other organisations working with spatially oriented (mapping) information systems. Lastly, the authors admit that the application of the ICL system is in fact a child of the '60s, when mainframe processing dominated the scene. The DEC systems written in MUMPS represent an attempt to distribute processing to minicomputers based within district health authorities. Now the technology on offer has gone further, and distributed databases, communications networks, and personal computers are leading to completely decentralised systems that support the service provider directly. Let us therefore not be sidetracked into thinking that yesterday's solution offers anything for tomorrow's problems. D J HEWETT Director of Information and Computing, Winchester Health Authority, Winchester S023 SAF

Verification of status of children on one list only (either the family health services authority (FHSA) or the child health computer (CHC) list) FHSA list only (%) CHC list only (%)

(n= 18 1) Correctly listed Incorrectly listed: Wrong address Died Wrong date of birth Unresolved

54 (30)

70 (28)

44 (24) 5 (3) 5 (3) 78 (43)

124 (50) 1 (