New NHS IT leaders to aid implementation
Deputy chief medical officer Aidan Halligan and Department of Health director of delivery John Bacon have joined the team leading the NHS information technology programme in England to make sure it is implemented effectively.
Professor Halligan is appointed alongside Richard Granger as joint director
general of the NHS national IT programme. He is expected to make sure
that doctors and other clinical professionals are involved to ensure
that systems are user-friendly and put patients’ interests first.
Mr Bacon has been made chairman of the national IT programme board and
is tasked with ensuring that the IT programme plays a full part in wider
NHS reforms and that NHS managers implement it.
Minister for Health John Hutton said: “New IT systems and services
are key to
delivering patient choice and improved
access. As we are now moving into the implementation phase of the programme,
we all need to work hard to ensure that the NHS is behind the changes
and willing to work as hard to implement them.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal