Academics air 'concerns' over NPfIT

A group of academics have published a “dossier of concerns” about the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT) and have called for a technical review of the programme.

The NPfIT has run into a variety of problems over the last two years and leading suppliers to the programme, such as Accenture, have pulled out from the project or others, like BT, have got behind in their contracted work.

Brian Randell, Emeritus professor of Computing Science at Newcastle University, has led the dossier initiative, and was among the academics who first expressed their concerns as a group about the NPfIT last year.

The dossier is designed to help Parliament's Health Select Committee with its pending inquiry on the NPfIT project.

This inquiry is expected to start later this month.

The 212 page dossier includes a variety of media reports on the NPfIT - including a number from Computer Weekly -  and information on supplier issues from recent years.

The academics wider aim is to instigate a review of the programme’s objectives and implementation.

Click here to view the dossier:

Supplier claims swift progress with NHS contract:

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