Treasury decision on GPSoC still pending
A decision on the full business case for GP Systems of Choice (GPSoC) is still awaited from the Treasury, Connecting for Health’s joint GP clinical lead, Dr Gillian Braunold, said last week. Addressing the British Computer Society Primary Health Care Specialist Group annual meeting, Dr Braunold, warned: “In the current political climate it’s not an […]
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Follow my lead
Michael Cross looks at how NPfIT is lead by wider government priorities and who the real driving force behind the project is.
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NPfIT scrutinised by Public Accounts Committee
The Public Accounts Committee hearing into the NHS National Programme for IT yesterday heard that the £12.4bn programme is largely on track, apart from its central component, the NHS Care Records Service, which is intended to deliver rich local clinical systems and a national database of summary records. Just 12 acute trusts have so far received […]
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GP system users ‘super’ group to be formed
A new user group covering all the suppliers involved in the GP Systems of Choice (GPSoC) initiative is being set up by NHS Connecting for Health and guidance on the minimum infrastructure required under the initiative is to be issued soon. The GPSoC proposals, designed to counter concerns from practices that they face pressure to switch suppliers, were announced in March […]
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Contract negotiations underway for system choice
Contracts have been sent to GP system suppliers due to taking part in the ‘system choice’ initiative for GPs and negotiations are taking place on a weekly basis to ensure commercial arrangements are in place. Progress on the moves to make system choice a reality for practices was reported by Connecting for Health joint clinical lead for general practice, Dr Gillian […]
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CfH may hand money back to Treasury
While many NHS trusts are thought to be struggling to achieve financial balance, NHS Connecting for Health, the Department of Health agency running health service IT programme is believed to be in the unusual position of handing money back to Treasury. In total NHS CfH is thought to be up to £700m underspent in 2005-2006, against […]
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New deal on system choice for GPs
GPs will be able to choose from a wider range of IT system suppliers under the terms of a new deal outlined by Connecting for Health. The agreement, which is subject to Treasury approval, means eligible systems will be funded centrally by the Department of Health, removing the financial pressure on primary care trusts. Existing […]
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National patient safety database delivers first results
The National Patient Safety Agency has published its first report on patient safety incidents across the NHS in England and Wales using data from a new national patient safety database designed to help reduce adverse incidents and harm to patients. The report, ‘Building a memory: preventing harm, reducing risks and improving patient safety’, has been […]
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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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GPs ‘over-perform’ on QoF by £200m
Payments to GPs under the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF) of the new GMS contract look certain to massively exceed the original sums budgeted by the Department of Health. Dr Ian Trimble, a Nottingham GP, advisor to the Department of Health and one of the architects of QoF performance management framework for general practice, said […]
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