The BBC's Caroline Parkinson reports on an RFID trial at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, where patients wear RFID-tagged wristbands that carry full information regarding the care they're receving.

"The tags mean any member of staff caring for that patient can read the tag details using a PDA to check they are treating the right person," Parkinson writes. "They can also see what checks the patient has had, or if they are ready for surgery, to ensure they get the right drugs, tests and operations via the checklist on the PDA."

Birmingham Heartlands isn't the only hospital that's using this technology -- and the UK's Department of Health is now looking into ways to implement it nationwide.

According to OUT-LAW News, NO2ID's Phil Booth complains that the plan exemplifies the government's desire to "RFID everything in sight." Booth suggests that clearly printed wristbands would do the same job better, saying, "It is really great to hear we're going to be treating patients like boxes of bandages and bottles of pills..."

More here from In The News ... and more here from 24dash.com.