The IT head of an NHS health authority has suggested that CSC's contracts under the National Programme for IT [NPfIT] - may be extended, which would extend the programme itself.
If it happens, it could signal an intention of Whitehall officials to keep extending contracts to local service providers in the hope the NPfIT can be seen to succeed at some point.
When signed in December 2003 and January 2004, the £6.2bn worth of contracts with national and local service providers were to last up to 10 years. But we've learned that discussions are continuing with CSC over a new plan for deployment of its "Lorenzo" software product until 2016.
CSC has about £3bn worth of NPFIT contracts. It's the local service provider to NHS trusts in England except the south and London. Like Fujitsu in the south, CSC is negotiating a "contract re-set" in which it's expected to obtain more money from the Department of Health.
A spokesman for NHS Connecting for Health said: "The contract end date has not been amended. However commercial discussions remain on going and we would not wish to comment further until these are successfully concluded."
A spokeswoman for CSC made a similar comment.
Links:
Front-runner to buy CSC regards NPfIT as loss making