Blackberd, the collaborative procurement of electronic record systems by 12 trusts in Birmingham and the Black Country has announced the long-list of seven Prime Service Providers (PSPs) for the £250m project.
The Blackberd collaboration is seen as a key project to demonstrate how many local NHS organisations can collaborate on core IT developments central to the national NHS IT programme.
It is also one of the first big NHS IT projects to be based on the model of prime service providers. It is expected that IT companies will organise themselves into one or more supplier consortia – similar to the model being developed by the national programme.
Those firms that can demonstrate their credentials in Blackberd are likely to enhance their chances of becoming prime contractors in the national programme. The Blackberd website notes: "The Information Policy Unit sees the project as a potential proving ground for elements of the national strategy."
Significantly two leading firms chosen as potential PSPs, Cerner and Siemens, have also been chosen as potential suppliers of core systems. This issue of dual identity – whether a firm be both a system supplier and prime contractor – is already proving contentious within the national programme.
The companies chosen by Blackberd as potential PSPs are:
- Accenture Plc
- British Telecommunications Plc
- Cerner Ltd
- Electronic Data Systems Ltd (EDS)
- Logica
- McKessons
- Siemens
The Blackberd collaboration has also announced its selection of suppliers of core systems. These are:
- Cerner Ltd
- Hospital Engineering Ltd
- IDX
- Integrated Medical Solutions Ltd
- InHealth Solutions
- Isoft
- Per-Se Technologies (UK) Ltd
- System C Healthcare
- Siemens
Those firms who may be able to supply functional and departmental systems have been named as:
- Anite
- Ardentia Ltd
- CSW Health Ltd
- Echelon
- Fox IT
- Hanlon Solutions
- HAS Solutions (UK) Ltd
- Health Trio
- Healthy Software
- Hospital Engineering Ltd
- IDX
- Integrated Medical Solutions Ltd
- InHealth Solutions
- ISIS Technology Solutions Ltd
- Isoft
- Optimum HealthWare
- Orion Systems International Ltd
- Protechnic Exeter Ltd
- QinetiQ Ltd
- Strand Technology
- System C Healthcare
- Two-Ten health Ltd
- Xerox