NHS Direct “Will More than Double” by 2006
NHS Direct is set to more than double in size, handling 16 million calls by 2006. The service is also due to launch a personal health organiser on its Internet service, NHS Direct Online, to enable members of the public to store key health information. Announcing the plans, health minister, John Hutton, said, “NHS Direct […]
News
Digital TV Service Goes To Tender
A national healthcare digital television (DTV) service took a step nearer to becoming a reality this week with the issue of an advertisement inviting expressions of interest from suitable suppliers. The advertisement published in the press and as an OJEC notice sets a deadline of 22 May for submissions. The tender document accompanying the invitation […]
News
DH Shapes Up National IT Structures
The "Who Does What" debate at the top level of healthcare IT continues but the HC2003 audience at Harrogate this week got a glimpse on the shape of things to come for the NHS Information Authority (NHSIA), the Information Policy Unit (IPU) and the National IT Programme Department of Health (DH) director of research, information […]
News
Bumper Response to National IT Programme OJEC
Some 99 firms have submitted responses to the Department of Health’s OJEC advertisement inviting expressions of interest from firms to act as prime contractors in delivering the National IT Programme for the NHS. The DH described the size and quality of the response as excellent, “with all of the major national and international IT companies […]
News
Row Over Health Records Review Secrecy
Campaigners this week alleged that the Department of Health (DH) had broken undertakings to keep fees low for patient access to manual health records and had further worsened the situation by conducting a review of health records and data protection in secret. The DH issued a defence against some reports of the row, but conceded […]
News
OJEC Issued for National IT Programme Procurement
The clock has started ticking officially for companies aspiring to take a slice of the new NHS IT business with the publication of an OJEC contract notice and supporting documents designed to set the £2.3 billion procurement process in train. The notice leaves suppliers 37 days to express their interest in becoming bidders for the […]
News
Show Power To Deliver, Granger Tells Suppliers
NHS IT Tsar Richard Granger pledged this week that a new procurement strategy will be published in January 2003 and gave some heavy hints about the new direction for IT procurement that would be used to deliver the NHS IT programme. Speaking to suppliers at a forum in London he promised that the new procurement […]
News
Patient Letters: Do We Really Need More Research?
Two leading doctors have challenged the need for further research and pilots on the NHS Plan’s pledge to give patients copies of letters about and summaries of their treatment and care. Professor Sir Cyril Chantler, senior associate at the King’s Fund and Mr James Johnson, chairman of the British Medical Association’s joint consultants’ committee, point […]
News
Suppliers Told Details of IT Strategy Imminent
A unique meeting held in London last week saw over 200 leading NHS IT suppliers, and would be suppliers, gather to hear details of how the NHS plans to deliver the new NHS IT strategy. Many left with more questions than when they arrived. Describing the objective Sir John Pattison, DH Director of research, analysis […]
News
DH Outsources IT Services to CSC
The Department of Health has awarded a seven year contract to outsource its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services to Computer Sciences Limited. The new contract, valued in excess of £40 million, covers services including telephony, videoconferencing, desktop and help desk support, and will cover approximately 600 DH staff. The contract has provisions for three […]
News