NHS pulls the plug on its £11bn IT system

[Alan C.]

NHS pulls the plug on its £11bn IT system

 

A plan to create the world's largest single civilian computer system linking all parts of the National Health Service is to be abandoned by the Government after running up billions of pounds in bills. Ministers are expected to announce next month that they are scrapping a central part of the much-delayed and hugely controversial 10-year National Programme for IT.Instead, local health trusts and hospitals will be allowed to develop or buy individual computer systems to suit their needs – with a much smaller central server capable of "interrogating" them to provide centralised information on patient care. News of the Government's plans comes as a damning report from a cross-party committee of MPs concludes that the £11.4bn programme had proved "beyond the capacity of the Department of Health to deliver".The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said that, while the intention of creating a centralised database of electronic patient records was a "worthwhile aim", a huge amount of money had been wasted."The department has been unable to demonstrate what benefits have been delivered from the £2.7bn spent on the project so far," Margaret Hodge, chair of the PAC, said. "It should now urgently review whether it is worth continuing with the remaining elements of the care-records system. The £4.3bn which the department expects to spend might be better used to buy systems that are proven to work, that are good value for money and which deliver demonstrable benefits to the NHS." A further £4.4bn was expected to be spent on other areas of the vast IT project.The nine-year-old NHS computer project – the biggest civilian IT scheme ever attempted – has been in disarray since it missed its first deadlines in 2007. The project has been beset by changing specifications, technical challenges and clashes with suppliers, which has left it years behind schedule and way over cost.

 

[nathanm]

I might be hallucinating from lack of sleep, but did I just read about a government program facing REALITY?  It can't be!

 

In any event, it's a valuable lesson for us all.  If you epically fail at something, just remind the disappointed people that it was a "Worthwhile Aim"!

 

"Yes MasterCard, I know I haven't sent in the minimum payment for the past 3 months.  But I my aim is to pay that balance in full.  Thanks, bye!"

 

"Well Jim, it looks like your house was burglarized, the fish tank exploded, the kitchen stove burnt up, all your wine bottles are broken and there's motorcycle tire tracks all over the carpets, but I assure you I had the most worthwhile aim of making sure your house was safe while you were on vacation!  Sorry about the mess.  Hey, do you have my check?"