Derek Wanless, founding father of the NPfIT, has recommended that the programme should not continue without an external audit of finances, benefits and technology - according to Computer Weekly
A report in Computer Weekly describes how hundreds of incorrect patient records are created every day at NHS sites in Greater Manchester. An emergency team has been set up to ensure that patient data is not lost.
Questions have been raised regarding how well the systems are being tested before going live.
This is seen as another blow to the NPfIT programme which has been plagued by a series of high profile problems.
Books of interest:
Project Quality Management: Why, What and How
Quality Software Project Management (Software Quality Institute Series)
Principles of Management for Quality Projects (Global Manager Series)
According to Computer Weekly, a Public Accounts Committee report published on 17th April states that the £12.4bn project may fail to deliver its objectives and highlights a string of serious failures.
Also highlighted was that over 470 consultants and contractors were employed at the end of July 2006 on rates of up to £2,400 per day
Interesting background to the NPfIT
Author: Sean Brennan, Director, Clinical Matrix
Description
The NHS computer project is the biggest and the most expensive IT project in world history, but why is it needed? What does it aim to achieve? This book spells out the real objective of the programme. This is not simply a plan to computerise our medical records; it is a project to transform the way that the NHS works.
This book is a comprehensive but highly accessible examination of the past, present and possible future of managing patient data. The reader is introduced to the layers of computing that will fit together to create a single patient record. Patient security and confidentiality are discussed, along with the practical issues surrounding the introduction of the programme.
The IT project has evolved from government strategies, pilots and initiatives that date back over a quarter of a century or more. The NHS is home to a startling legacy of IT systems and processes that have each made their mark on the service. The reader is invited to examine these often ill-fated initiatives and see how their patchwork legacy will shape the way new computer systems will operate.
The NHS IT Project provides vital information for all employees of the NHS, particularly policy makers and shapers. It will be valuable to NHS service providers, students of the NHS, patients and anyone who is interested in big projects and how they operate.
Reviews
“Excellent easy to read book. Told me all I needed to know about computerising the NHS and more. If you ever had any doubts about why it badly needs doing, read Chapter 2. I am a District Nurse and currently part of a pilot site for the Programme, I was badly in need of some information as to why we were going through hell. Now I know. Also a great resource for websites and organisations, such as Governments, Media, Universities, you name it. Well done Sean Brennan.”
“This very readable book provides an overview of NHS IT strategies over the last 30 years, and places these within the wider political and social changes which have taken place, from the knowledgeable viewpoint of someone who has played s significant role in their development.
A strong focus on policy and strategy development means there is less detail of applications at the sharp end than some readers might want, but attempts are made throughout the book to illustrate issues with patient and staff vignettes.
The book is well organised with a detailed contents list, some useful appendices and a comprehensive index. Page layout is clear although some of the diagrams might have been better in colour.
The book brings the topic up to date with detail of the National Programme for Health (NPfIT), but, as with any book in this area, in the couple of months since it was printed changes to terminology e.g. “NHS Connecting for Health” and the change of a major software supplier to the Southern Cluster of the NPfIT.
The history lesson provided shows how developments have built upon previous work, but also how some of the lessons of the past have not been learnt, and tries to draw some lessons and indulge in a little crystal ball gazing to answer the question “Will NPfIT succeed?”
A key point is brought out in the final chapters of the book which suggests that many of the decisions about software have now been made but success will depend on its adoption by all NHS staff.”
An article in Computer Weekly outlines the conflict with Whitehall over the BCS report which criticises the £12.4bn National Programme for IT (NPfIT) for providing poor value for money for some of the services.
It is suggested that Connecting for Health CEO, Richard Granger, did not want the report published after reading the draft. The BCS admitted that it had made 17 changes to the draft before publication, although had not included all of the modifications that had been requested.
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According to Computer Weekly 14 NHS Trusts are seeking contributions to costs incurred as a result of delays to the NPfIT rollout.
The Public Accounts Committee reported that the Department of Health did not have figures available for how much Trusts had claimed because of the complicated mix of one-off costs, the cost of interim systems and ongoing costs.
The government has decided to go out to tender for new suppliers for the National Programme for IT (NPfIT), a change welcomed by many NHS Trusts.
Currently 3 suppliers provide ‘core’ services - CSC, Fujitsu and BT. The government originally anticipated that the 3 would provide additional services but decided to include other suppliers following lengthy delays.
The Health Minister, Lord Hunt, is expected to announce a ‘repositioning’ of the NPfIT at the HC2007 conference in Harrogate at the end of March.
Only 4 out of 22 acute hospital trusts had gone live with new patient administration systems by the target date of 31st October 2006, according to Computer Weekly.
Connecting for Health announced the target date in June to the Parliamentary Committee for Public Accounts
Graham Perry
A link reference for those of you interested in the NHS Connecting for Health projects
http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/atoz/
Graham Perry
Computer Weekly - 3rd July 2006
Last week senior officials told MPs that a lack of capacity among suppliers has led to things “going wrong” with the £12.4bn NHS National Programme for IT, and it is still a risk.
NHS acting chief executive Ian Carruthers, director of IT implementation Richard Jeavons and Richard Granger, chief executive of Connecting for Health, which runs the IT programme, were questioned at the Commons Public Accounts Committee hearing to examine the National Audit Office’s report on the NPfIT.
The MPs were sceptical of the “almost universally positive tone” of the NAO report, described by MP Greg Clark as “easily the most gushing” he had seen.
Pressed by committee chairman Edward Leigh, Carruthers said the two-year delay in introducing a national clinical record service was a decision taken because “some suppliers were having difficulties meeting the timetable” and clinicians wanted to pilot the scheme.
Granger said, “There is a shortage of capacity in the IT industry and we have had to bring in a lot of resources, from India and the US in particular, and some things have unfortunately gone wrong as a consequence of that.”
Graham Perry