Chancellor George Osborne made a big thing in his spending review speech on Wednesday of finding £4 billion for the NHS next year as a ‘down payment’ on the £8 billion that the Conservatives promised to find for the health service by 2020-21. He also highlighted that by the end of this Parliament the NHS would be spending some £120 billion a year.

He made much less of the fact that the money will have to go a long way; there’s the £22 billion of efficiency savings to find, a seven day service to introduce and, apparently, a ‘major reform’ programme to create an integrated health and social care service to run. He also failed to mention that £1 billion of the money has been earmarked for investment in NHS IT.

In particular, it will go on supporting the government’s determination to create a ‘paperless’ NHS and ‘integrated’ health and care records by 2018 and 2020. Given recent memories of the National Programme for IT in the NHS, this is hardly surprising.

But it’s a significant vote of confidence in technology's ability to deliver on the efficiency, access, and quality agendas. As Digital Health News editor Jon Hoeksma argues in an opinion piece, some of the credit must go to Tim Kelsey, whose replacement is being sought by NHS England. What are needed now are details. How will the money be distributed, benefits evidenced, and lessons learned? And an answer to the big question: can IT deliver?

NHS boost includes £1 billion for IT

The government is to "fully fund" the NHS 'Five Year Forward View' over the course of this Parliament; and Treasury documents indicate that £1 billion will go on NHS IT over the next five years.

Questions asked about £1bn NHS IT fund

The government’s plan to invest £1 billion in new technology for the NHS in England has received a cautious welcome from trade body Tech UK.

Chief tech officer to replace Kelsey

NHS England will recruit a new 'chief information and technology officer' to replace Tim Kelsey.

End of NPfIT drives change in MH systems

Eighteen community and mental health trusts in London and the South have switched electronic patient record systems following the end of their national contracts.

Patient opt-outs actioned by January

Around 700,000 patients who objected to having their identifiable data shared with third parties will have their wishes recognised by January next year, nearly two years after being offered the opt-out.

Dorset plans £20m shared record scheme

Dorset is planning a shared care record scheme worth up to £20 million.

Single child health system uses CarePlus

A single child health system for the West Midlands will operate from April next year, following the award of a region-wide contract to Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust and System C.

Tablets, phones, and other devices are keeping the nation awake at night. Apparently. BBC News reported this week that the blue light emitted by these devices can disrupt the sleep hormone melatonin and that researchers want devices to have a ‘sleep mode’ that adapts this at night.

The ‘behind the headlines’ feature of NHS Choices wasn’t too impressed with the research, which left a lot of questions unasked. But other studies have suggested that it might be a good idea to avoid devices that emit blue light in the evening and to turn off devices at night. Putting them face down would also work, for those – like some Digital Health News readers – who are ‘on call’ at night.

“If there is a lesson to be taken, it is that success takes sustained leadership and effort.”

“The NHS deficit is worsening by the day and we need to be realistic about how much of this money will be spent shoring up services this winter.”

Professor Jane Dacre and Miss Clare Marx, the presidents of the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons, comment on the spending review.