Vox Pop: The positive learnings of NPfIT - British Journal of Healthcare Computing

“The BJ-HC Vox Pop is a new monthly feature investigating some of the key issues in healthcare IT. Each month we ask three prominent figures in UK healthcare to explore a different theme — taking care to focus on positive solutions, in line with the credo of the 'new BJ-HC': 'the positive voice of healthcare IT'.”

Tonya Stewart, Deputy Editor, BJ-HC

The BJ-HC Vox Pop

The positive learnings of the NPfIT

by Tonya Stewart

Ten years on we are now in the winding-down stage of the National Programme for IT. Often referred to as 'the world's biggest civil information technology programme', the project has been courted by controversy from the start - common criticisms being that it has failed to make concrete information available about its progress, appeared reluctant to be audited and evaluated, failed to meet key deadlines and gone dramatically over budget.

We have, however, tired of hearing all the criticism, so in our second BJ-HC vox pop – and in the advent of the new Information Strategy - we have decided instead to focus on some of the things we've learnt from the Programme.

Read on to hear what our three panellists - Connecting for Health medical director Simon Eccles, PHCSG Chair Roz Foad and Intellect's Healthcare Programme Head Jon Lindberg - had to say.

Please send your comments and feedback to tonya.stewart@so2say.com.

"The key is national standards, not national systems"
Dr Simon Eccles, Medical Director, NHS Connecting for Health

"The focus on a rip-and-replace, one-size-fits-all approach has not worked and won´t in future"
Roz Foad, Chair, PHCSG

"Now they are being given the responsibility, people are getting more engaged"
Jon Lindberg, Head, Intellect´s Healthcare Programme

Read the previous BJ-HC Vox-Pop "Transforming the NHS"