30 January 2004
The health service's ambitious information technology programme took a step forward this week with the award of the final electronic care records contract and a new pricing agreement that could save £100m.
An £896m, ten-year contract to provide electronic medical records in England's Southern region has been awarded to the Fujitsu Alliance.
The Southern region is the largest in England, covering almost one quarter of England's population and a geographical area from Dover to Land's End and the Isle of Wight to Milton Keynes.
Five of the six regional contracts were awarded in December but the Southern contract was delayed.
'It became clear that in the Southern cluster there was still scope for improvement around affordability and terms,' said NHS IT director general Richard Granger.
'Our prudent approach in taking a little extra time to award the contract has been vindicated.'
He added that he had agreed a new price list on Oracle database products. If all the products on the list were used throughout the NHS it would save £100m on the previous price.
Around 70% of NHS organisations use Oracle systems, for patient information and appointment booking, for example, but they will not be compelled to buy Oracle products.
A similar deal exists for Microsoft software, and Granger is currently negotiating with other suppliers.
PFjan2004
