BCS ‘has not changed mind’ about CfH review
The British Computer Society has denied changing its tack by backing the growing calls for a technical review of the health service’s £12.4bn IT programme. Glyn Hayes, chair of the society’s Health Informatics Forum, has defended his position following a report in this week’s Computer Weekly, which detailed a private email from Dr Hayes to […]
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MP calls for clarity on payments to iSoft
Following yesterday’s suspension of iSoft co-founder, Steve Graham, pending investigation of possible accounting irregularities, Richard Bacon MP, has called for the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, to confirm whether advance payments were made to iSoft under the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT). The Conservative MP, a leading member of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee […]
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Hewitt urged to block software switch in London
Patricia Hewitt, the health secretary, has been asked to block the possible move by BT to replace its software supplier for electronic patient records in London as part of the NHS National programme for IT (NPfIT). Richard Bacon, MP, a senior member of the House of Commons Public accounts committee (PAC), last night wrote to […]
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CfH says it has ‘no objection’ to a review
Connecting for Health has agreed with its academic critics that "a constructive and pragmatic" independent review of the National Programme for IT could be valuable, according to a statement issued today. A CfH official meanwhile told EHI that the the meeting "was extremely cordial", and said that "CfH had no objection to an independent taking […]
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Academics call for NPfIT technical assessment
A group of 23 computer science academics from around the UK have written an open letter calling for an “independent technical assessment” of the National Programme for IT. They say in their letter to the House of Commons health select committee: "Concrete, objective information about NPfIT’s [National Programme for IT] progress is not available to external […]
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One PCT may have met October C+B target
A primary care trust is hoping it will be able to claim the second £100,000 incentive payment for Choose and Book which it plans to distribute to its successful practices. Durham Dales PCT is likely to be the only trust in England to achieve the target which required a PCT to make 50% of its […]
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EHI cited by Commons Public Accounts Committee
The Department of Health director responsible for the NHS National Programme for IT was taken to task last week by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on NHS Smart Cards, following an article by E-Health Insider. John Bacon, the DH’s Group Director of Health and Social Care Delivery, and the senior responsible officer for […]
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Choose and Book ‘will be a year late’
The flagship Choose and Book electronic booking application will be at least a year late by the time it is rolled out across England NHS chief executive, Sir Nigel Crisp, said yesterday. Speaking to the House of Commons public accounts committee (PAC) he said that patients would still be offered a choice of four or […]
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Call to publish Gateway reviews of IT projects
There is a ‘strong case’ for Gateway reviews of public sector IT-enabled projects to be published, the high powered House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has decided. The Gateway system, which gives red, amber or green lights at different stages of projects, does not normally cover the NHS, but it does apply to the […]
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Commons to debate practice manager’s opt-out case
Medical records and the case of Helen Wilkinson, who tried unsuccessfully to opt out of centrally-stored NHS electronic recording, will be the subject of a debate in the House of Commons on 16 June. Wilkinson’s MP, Paul Goodman, Conservative member for Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has gained a slot in the weekly schedule of adjournment debates, which […]
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