MP slams NHS IT project

Richard Bacon MP, a Conservative who sits on the Public Accounts Committee, has said that Connecting for Health, the body in charge of the NHS’ new IT project, ignored a large amount of advice when pressing ahead with the project.

In addition to the project’s budget of 6.3 billion pounds, the renegotiation of the contract with IT firms will cost many more millions of pounds, according to Mr Bacon.

He told Radio Four’s You and Yours programme: “In relation to the consultation generally there has been a problem with on the one hand the Connecting for Health people saying that they wanted to hear from doctors and hear what they had to say.”

“But then when they’ve tried to offer their opinion been cold shouldered or brushed aside while Connecting for Health went out and paid for its own surveys by its own medical advisors, which is one way of making sure you hear what you want to hear,” added Mr Bacon.

Connecting for Health’s NHS project is thought to involve the largest introduction of a new IT system in the world. Part of the system will allow patients to book and choose their appointment with a doctor and hospital of their choosing. It is also designed as a central information resource for NHS staff in England and Wales.

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