Auditor slams NHS IT overspend

NHS 24 system relaunch goes live, but delays led to additional costs and risks, finds Audit Scotland

Scotland's auditor general has criticised NHS 24 for overspending on its revised telehealth system, finding that current development costs are 73 per cent higher than originally budgeted.

The system, which is designed to handle communications and online services for NHS 24, was shut down shortly after going live last year due to fears around patient safety, and a lack of adequate staff training.

A phased relaunch programme is under way, with six care services having recently gone live on the system.

Audit Scotland said in a report released this month that despite six years of significant investment, the protected costs climbed by just under three quarters, partly as a result of the failed initial launch.

"NHS 24 has invested significantly in implementing a new IT system over the past six years. The delays in implementing this system have led to additional costs and risks to NHS 24's ability to meet its financial targets in future years," writes Audit Scotland in its report.

The project was initially postponed in July 2013 for three months. In October 2013 the decision was taken to postpone it indefinitely, due to its failure to meet critical patient safety measures, including the ability to function with multiple users at an acceptable speed.

Lead outsourcing partner Capgemini claimed at the time that the system was meeting the targets set out in the contract.

"It subsequently became apparent that there were flaws within the contract documentation," wrote Audit Scotland. "NHS 24's contractual arrangements with Capgemini and BT were found to be flawed and needed to be substantially revised to provide all parties with clarity on relative roles, responsibilities and commercial liabilities."

In response, NHS 24 chief executive Angiolina Foster admitted that her organisation acknowledged the failings.

"NHS 24 has been providing telehealth and telecare services safely to patients across Scotland for more than 10 years. We take more than 1.5m calls per year which deliver a safe and effective service for patients," she said.

"We look forward to fully implementing the new system in 2017, which will not only enable NHS 24 to continue to deliver improved patient-centred services during the out-of-hours period, but will allow for the development of new ways of offering health and care to people across Scotland well into the future. It provides a key asset to NHS Scotland, offering the capability on which new and improved services will be developed."