News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 09 September 2010
A Department of
Health review of the National Programme for IT has concluded that
a centralised, national approach is no longer required, and that a
more locally-led plural system of procurement should operate,
whilst continuing with national applications already procured.
A new approach to implementation will take a modular approach,
allowing NHS organisations to introduce smaller, more manageable
change, in line with their business requirements and capacity. NHS
services will be the customers of a more plural system of IT
embodying the core assumption of ‘connect all’, rather than
‘replace all’ systems. This reflects the coalition government’s
commitment to ending top-down government and enabling localised decision-making.
The review of the National Programme for IT has also concluded
that retaining a national infrastructure will deliver best value
for taxpayers. Applications such as Choose and Book, Electronic
Prescription Service and PACS have been delivered and are now
integrated with the running of current health services. Now there
is a level of maturity in these applications they no longer need
to be managed as projects but as IT services under the control of
the NHS. Consequently, in line with the broader NHS reforms, the
National Programme for IT will no longer be run as a centralised
national programme and decision making and responsibility will be localised.
Health Minister, Simon Burns, said:
“Improving IT is essential to delivering a patient-centred NHS.
But the nationally imposed system is neither necessary nor
appropriate to deliver this. We will allow hospitals to use and
develop the IT they already have and add to their environment
either by integrating systems purchased through the existing
national contracts or elsewhere.
“This makes practical sense. It also makes financial sense.
Moving IT systems closer to the frontline will release £700
million extra in savings. Every penny saved through productivity
gains will be reinvested to improve patient care.”
Director General for Informatics, Christine Connelly, said:
“It is clear that the National Programme for IT has delivered
important changes for the NHS including an infrastructure which
the NHS today depends on for providing safe and responsive health
care. Now the NHS is changing, we need to change the way IT
supports those changes, bringing decisions closer to the front
line and ensuring that change is manageable and holds less risk
for NHS organisations.”
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk