NHS Scotland in licensing deal with Microsoft

NHS Scotland has signed a three-year desktop and mobile software licensing deal with Microsoft to help with the introduction of electronic health records.

Access to a standard, consolidated Microsoft licensing agreement will provide Scotland’s health boards with a country-wide procurement agreement that will reduce administration costs and complexity.

Ron Anderson, director of information management and technology for NHS National Services Scotland, says the deal will make patient care more efficient.

‘By reducing the support costs for multiple versions of software, administrators will be free to focus on other things such as the implementation of electronic health records,’ he said.

‘The desktop has an important part to play in the move towards common systems and the sharing of information.’

The agreement will provide the latest Microsoft operating and software licences for 75,000 desktops across NHS Scotland, including Windows Office 2003 Professional Enterprise Edition, upgrades to Windows XP Professional, and client access licences.

NHS trust paperless processes