Fourteen NHS trusts have asked for contributions to
costs incurred as a result of delays in the implementation of the
National Programme
for IT (NPfIT), according to the Public Accounts
Committee.
In a report on NHS finances, the committee noted that the
Department of Health said that information on how much has been
claimed by each trust was not available as the requests include a
mixture of one-off costs, ongoing costs, alternative interim
solutions and unspecified amounts. The department has not to date
made any such payments.
Last year United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust said it would seek
funding from Connecting for Health to help make up for the cost of
running a system it was not able to replace because of NPfIT
delays.
A spokeswoman said at the time, "The current contract with EDS
expires in December 2006. United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust is
currently working with the strategic health authority in an effort
to seek funding from Connecting for Health to fund part or all of
any additional EDS costs incurred during 2007. The go live date
[for the new system] is September/October 2007."
The Trust has since said it does not expect to have increased
costs by extending the EDS contract as some would be met by
Connecting for Health, which runs NPfIT.
The PAC said the NHS deficit for the year ending in 2005-06 was
£570m.
The full report by the PAC
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