Trusts concerned about progress of IT project
Support from senior NHS support staff for the NHS information technology programme will diminish unless more progress is achieved, according to a new study.
Researchers interviewed 25 senior managers and clinicians responsible
for implementing the programme in four NHS hospitals in England.
The interviewees supported the goals of the project, and the overriding
view was that the NHS urgently needs the benefits that it will bring.
But they raised several concerns, including continuing delays that are
putting patient safety at risk.
They were also concerned about the cost of interim applications, uncertainty
about delivery timetables and achieving integrated IT systems. Interviewees
emphasised the need for independent evaluation to measure benefits and
costs.
The authors conclude that trust managers need concrete information about
timetables and value for money. They also need help to prioritise IT
modernisation against other financial pressures, by including it in performance
management frameworks for example.
The study was published in BMJ
Online First on 17 May 2007. |
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