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The Scottish executive has denied claims that a £10m project to link up electronic social services and NHS records is on the point of being scrapped.

Scottish ministers are considering a report from accountants KPMG that evaluates the business case for the eCare project to set up a computer records system that can be shared by health and social services.

"There has been no decision to cancel the eCare programme in March or the foreseeable future," a spokesperson for the executive said in response to media claims.


She added that the executive had already established that data could be securely shared between the NHS and social services, electronic referrals could be made and data could be accessed from remote locations.

Local authorities, which are part-funding the project, also expressed their backing.

"The potential is huge, which is why councils have bought into this," said a spokesperson for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. "Experience shows that record-sharing among agencies is an essential part of integrated service delivery."