CSC, the main supplier of theNational Programme for IT, is
considering offering alternative software to NHS trusts ahead of
the clinical functionality being planned for its "Lorenzo"
system.
The change of plan will surprise board directors at NHS trusts
in the West Midlands and North and East of England who have been
waiting for several years for the Lorenzo Care Records Service
system from CSC.
If CSC decides to offer the
"Alert" system from a
Portuguese healthcare specialist, it could mean that dozens of
boards of NHS trusts alter plans dating back years which have been
based on the roll-out of Lorenzo.
But it is unclear how quickly the Alert system could be adapted
to the UK market - and in particular how quickly it can be subsumed
into the plans of NHS Connecting for Health, which runs much of the
NPfIT, for integrated healthcare systems.
Lorenzo was originally expected to be available in 2004. And it
has proved difficult to adapt the US
"Cerner" system - which is being offered to NHS trusts in
London and the south of England - for use in NHS trusts.
Read more about Lorenzo on the IT Projects Blog >>
NHS says Lorenzo won't be ready until 2016 >>
Secret report on NPfIT Lorenzo - hundreds of issues
>>