Uncertainty Over London IT Chief’s Post

E-Health Insider has learned that in a surprise move it has been decided not to appoint a co-ordinating chief information officer for NHS IT across London. It had been expected that an appointment would be made last week for the new senior NHS IT post.

Instead the selection panel, understood to include the new national NHS IT boss Richard Granger, decided not to appoint from the final two candidates short-listed.

It is not clear at this stage whether new candidates will be sought for the position, or whether the post is still seen as necessary to implementing NHS IT modernisation in London.

The idea of a co-ordinating chief information officer for NHS IT had been developed to help provide strategic direction, and help the 77 NHS organisations in the capital achieve the ambitious goals set out the NHS Information IT strategy ‘Delivering 21st Century IT Support for the NHS’.

As previously reported by E-Health Insider (1st August) Sir John Pattison, NHS Director of Research, Analysis and Information had indicated that he believed the five Strategic Health Authorities in London would move forward on the national IT strategy in concert.

One of the final two candidates who had been short-listed for the position was Ken Parsons, head of the London-based NHS LifeHouse project.

Mr Parsons told E-Health Insider: "It is not for me to comment on the selection process for London’s Co-ordinating Chief Information Officer job, except to say that I hope the right person is found for what is, in my view, a crucial post in NHS ICT development".