Junior doctors are to be given basic training in areas including IT skills, team working and understanding the need for medical evidence in legal proceedings.
The requirements are included in the new curriculum for the foundation years in postgraduate education and training, which were published this week by the Department of Health.
Other areas covered include the appropriate use of information and evidence in making clinical decisions and history taking.
The British Medical Association (BMA) welcomed the move to improve IT skills.
Dr John Powell, chairman of its information technology committee, said: “In the new NHS, information technology will underpin the way doctors care for their patients and so it is vital that they are properly trained to use the systems that they work with.
“The practice of medicine requires the effective and efficient management of information. The BMA has long been in support of recognised training in IT skills for all doctors and is pleased that the government has published plans to ensure this will happen.”
