Standard NHS user interface to be developed
Microsoft has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Programme for IT to deliver a standard user interface (UI) for all NHS clinical information systems. The announcement came at the same time as news of a long-term licensing agreement with the NHS for Microsoft software. Under the agreement relating to […]
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Open source software could save NHS money
The Office of Government Commerce has made recommendations that public procurement of software should consider open source solutions, citing, amongst other case studies, the experience of a Dublin-based hospital that made significant savings in transferring all its software to open source. The report says that public sector bodies should “examine carefully the technical and business […]
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Surgeon tags patients with WiFi to improve safety
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital is claiming to have the world’s first pilot of wireless active tagging system for patients, with links to electronic records containing digital photographs and a new easily-updatable electronic operating list. The system was introduced as part of a pilot three weeks ago to save time on verifying pre-operative checks, and to improve patient safety. […]
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NPfIT procurement unfriendly for SMEs, says OFT
SMEs are being locked out of competition in many areas of public sector procurement, including the National Programme for IT, due to the sheer size of the contracts up for grabs, a preliminary report from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found. In a case study of IT procurement, the OFT found that participation […]
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Rocky road ahead for NPfIT suppliers
The National Programme for IT favours large businesses over small and only amounts to a “contact database" for the NHS; however, the bigger companies involved in supply to the national programme are taking on enormous risks and could be heading for conflict, a new white paper is warning. The paper, published by consultancy firm Wireless […]
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Voxar provides Bournemouth with 3D PACS view
Edinburgh-based picture archiving and communication system (PACS) software specialist Voxar, has won a contract to supply the Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s radiology department with its 3D imaging software. Voxar’s imaging software allows the rapid rendering and display of 3D medical scan images from computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) on […]
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E-prescribing benefits flow for Liverpool hospital
Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Trust has announced the completion of e-prescribing in all but one of its in-patient clinical areas. Only the neonatal unit remains to be covered by the Meditech EP system, built with technology partners FileTek UK. The system provides total integration between the pharmacy stock system, patient prescriptions and other patient-based Meditech […]
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Sun awarded ‘tactical’ NHS desktop contract
The National Programme for IT (NPfIT) has concluded an evaluation project with Sun Microsystems over the potential use of Sun’s open-source Java Desktop System within the NHS as an alternative to Microsoft. E-Health Insider can exclusively reveal that NPfIT “has concluded that the Java Desktop System, which runs on the Linux operating system, represents a […]
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Six new companies brought under NPfIT banner
The National Programme for IT have announced six new “enterprise-wide" agreements between suppliers of software and hardware infrastructure and services, saving an estimated £30m on market price figures for the project and the NHS in general. Cisco, EMC Computer Systems, Hewlett Packard, SeeBeyond and Sun will supply a number of backup, infrastructure and migration services […]
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Big savings for NHS PASA through internet auctions
A report published today has shown that the NHS Purchasing And Supply Agency’s (PASA) pilot of eAuctions has been a resounding success, with savings of up to 80% in some areas – leading Health Minister Lord Warner to admit that the DH probably ought to have “engaged in them earlier." An enthusiastic Lord Warner, speaking […]
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