Okay so had a chat with my boss today. The computers, software and network is property of the Primary Care Trust. When they needed extra data points (and hence switches), the PCT sent someone to sort it out. My boss was away at the time and returned to find the security cameras, prescribing stuff and intranet in a DMZ. Unfortunately, the PCT seem to send some incompetent nitwit who has just achieved his NVQ and has bugger all idea of what they're actually doing (a case of pay for peanuts...). Said boss is completely frustrated with the set up but we can't do anything.

He also mentioned something about n3 setup and how the internet access should be superfast but isn't and again the PCT won't do anything about it. If the ISDN goes down, we have priority help line from BT. If the software that we use goes down, we can call the companies and get them to re-establish the link (there's a kind of live link that has to remain active).

The printers are all connected via USB to the computers but some of them are configured to be accessible on the network in case there are problems. Everyone has their own printer set up differently depending on their preferences. All clinicians have a printer that does prescriptions and reports/normal printouts, and a label printer. All non-clinicians will have either a normal printer or a prescription printer (depending on needs).

This is turning into a fecking nightmare.

On the plus side, there is a defined responsible party for everything on your network, so your only duty is to alert them to any problems. Which is good given that you are supposed to spend as much of your time on the whole doctoring thing as possible.

It's a shame that those people are in over their heads, managing a poorly designed network and missing simple fixes that would make their own lives easier. But you will never have access to the tools you would need to fix their issues for them, so I advise you not to worry too much about it.

True but the issue is that if there's a problem, I will be the first port of call. If I can't do it, the PCT will send someone out but it may not be that day! Given how much is computerised (medication, notes, clinic letters, referrals, bloods), we cannot cope with this. Hence the need for me to be able to understand and do as much as possible to keep things going.

Hence the need for a "dummies" guide to the way our network is set up.