Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts announced the funding for the four centres which will open in late 2012. They will harness the wealth of UK electronic health records to improve patient care and public health.
Read more: GB: North Yorkshire: University of York joins new health record research scheme
The initiative is being led by the Medical Research Council and the medical research charities involved are Arthritis Research UK, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust. The government bodies backing the project are the Chief Scientist Office (Scottish Government Health Directorates), the Economic and Social Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research, and the National Institute for Social Care and Health Research (Welsh government).
Read more: GB: Major health charities collaborate on e-health research initiative
A partnership of 10 government and charity funders will establish the centres in London, Manchester, Dundee and Swansea, thanks to an investment of £19 million.
They will open towards the end of the year, with the aim of putting health records at the heart of medical research in the UK. Each centre will do cutting-edge research which links electronic health records with other forms of research and data. A range of health conditions will be investigated, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, today said:
"This Committee fully supports the principle of greater openness and its potential to strengthen accountability and drive improvements in public services. But the Government has a lot more work to do before that potential is realised.
Read more: GB: Public Accounts Committee publishes report on implementing the transparency agenda
Nach dem Willen der Londoner Regierung sollen bis 2015 die Flächendeckung mit 2-Mbit/s-Anschlüssen erreicht und für 90 Prozent der Haushalte 30 Mbit/s und mehr verfügbar sein. Den Ausbau soll in erster Linie die private Wirtschaft schultern, doch um Investoren auch in die weniger lukrativen suburbanen und ländlichen Regionen zu locken, stellt das zuständige Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) den einzelnen Gebietskörperschaften insgesamt Beihilfen in Höhe von 530 Millionen Pfund (rund 675 Millionen Euro) zur Verfügung.
Read more: Breitbandpolitik der britischen Regierung unter Beschuss