The National Audit Office’s report on the NHS National
Programme for IT (NPfIT) should be the start, not the end, of
independent scrutiny of the UK’s largest ever IT
investment.
The report was expected to be the centre of discussion yesterday
(26 June) at the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee hearing
and is certain to feature strongly in hearings expected to be held
by the Health Select Committee into the project this autumn.
But the purpose of the NAO report, or an independent technical
audit like that called for by 23 academics and supported by MPs of
all parties, is not to provide a club to batter an opponent. Nor is
it to act as a fig leaf to hide the shame of individuals or
organisations that have not delivered on time or to budget.
It is to give real practical guidance on how to get the best for
patients, for NHS staff and the taxpayer, while giving a fair rate
of return to the suppliers involved in such a high risk
project.
By its own admission the NAO did not look at the programme’s
technical feasibility. So the plan to enable doctors to access
online the health records of everyone in England remains
untested.
The NAO report is effusive in its praise of some aspects of
Connecting for Health, particularly the way it has dealt with
suppliers. But overall it is too safe. It is all but devoid of
criticism of the project and there are material omissions (see
The rosy view of NHS IT
progress and associated articles).
It is unfortunate that the NAO is reporting within an NHS
culture that is inordinately hostile to criticism. Honest dissent
is viewed as disloyal subversion.
Without an independent review the NPfIT will carry on much as it
is now, with most NHS stakeholders, Parliament and taxpayers in the
dark about what the scheme is ever likely to achieve.