Suppliers formalise NHS records scheme

BT, Fujitsu and the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT) have signed an agreement to share management responsibility for the delayed electronic patient records system in London and the South.

The official explanation is that the deal is simply a formalising of the 'common solution' arrangement across the two areas.

But NHS insiders say it marks a shift in leadership following problems and delays in developing the software being provided by healthcare supplier IDX.

BT and Fujitsu, as local service providers (LSPs) for the London and Southern regions respectively, have overall responsibility for implementing the NPfIT systems in their areas. In 2003, they agreed to collaborate on a common care records system for both regions, with Fujitsu 'piggybacking' on the IDX solution being developed and managed by BT.

According to documents seen by Computing, the agreement signed on 18 February by the two LSPs and NPfIT is to 're-balance contributions, responsibilities and risks between BT and Fujitsu', and to give Fujitsu a 'lead management role'.

A senior NHS source said: 'Whichever way you look at it, this is a change of leadership.'

The care records system is six to nine months behind schedule, due to the management structure changes and to scalability issues, say NHS insiders.

'There is no change in the contractual liabilities and obligations,' said a spokesman for BT.

A Fujitsu spokesman said: 'All parties are working closely together and have put in place an arrangement to work in a more integrated way to deliver the programme as effectively as possible.'

A spokesman for NPfIT said: 'Each of the three parties is sharing key roles, but there is no change to the contractual or management responsibilities and we are fully engaged with all parties to ensure delivery.'