NHS Scotland signs £300m deal with Atos Origin Alliance

A consortia lead by Atos Origin has been awarded a £300m contract to be NHS Scotland’s Information Management and Technology Support Services Partner for the next 11 years.

The contract covers the supply, administration and management of both the national and some local IT services to NHS Boards across Scotland.

The agreement will start from 1 April 2007 and was signed yesterday by the Scottish health and community care minister, Andy Kerr.

Kerr said: “Currently, most health information is stored on paper files that are kept in different places. The services provided in this contract will help prepare the health service for the future and ensure that patient records are stores in a secure electronic environment.”

The Atos Origin Alliance, comprises Atos Origin, BT, IBM and Sopra Newell and Budge. Steve Langmead, Atos Origin Alliance’s general manager, said: “We have all worked with NHS Scotland in the past and so we have been chosen so that we can demonstrate our strength of partnership in getting technology running across Scotland.

Initially the contract will include running 51 applications for NHS Scotland. These will include the national patient index (CHI numbers), developing the SCI Store, running the Emergency Care Summary (ECS), sorting staff appraisals for the country, running A+E systems and Picture Archiving and Communications Systems.

Langmead added: “This will help to develop on from the findings of the recent Kerr report. We will be able to help with the delivery of the technology aspects, ensuring they are met and fit for use.”

An NHS Scotland spokesperson told EHI: “This contract supports the integration of healthcare services to ensure that vital patient information can be accessed by appropriate clinicians as and when required. The contract ensures secure access to Patient information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It also ensures that NHS Scotland is getting the best value for the delivery of its services.

“The Emergency Care Summary (ECS) is an example of and application supported by the contract. ECS contains important patient information (such as allergies, current medications etc) to be accessed by clinicians providing emergency care. This information can be life saving to patients.”

In addition to signing the new contract yesterday Kerr also opened a new Data Centre in Livingston, providing a stable and highly secure environment, which will house NHS Scotland’s vital patient data.

The new centre cost £7m and is 17.000 sq ft in capacity, large enough to safely store thousands of records securely. Kerr says the new centre will make it easier for doctors to gain access to patient records, with consent.

Kerr said at the opening: “The Data Centre will enable secure access to patient information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and add new dimension to the healthcare that can be provided to patients. This magnificent facility will enable the safe and reliable sharing of information across the NHS in Scotland and will provide the basis for a truly integrated service.”

Langmead told EHI: “The Data Centre will cover the whole of Scotland and will help us to underpin all hosting services for the country.”

NHS Scotland has had an outsourced National Computer Services Contract since 1995. The services supplied support some key direct patient care activities such as Scotland-wide children’s immunisation/surveillance services and national screening services, as well as business systems such as payroll. It also provides a framework for Health Boards to access related IT services.

Professor Stuart Bain, NHS National Services Scotland’s chief executive, said: “The IT services supplied under this contract will help provide NHS Scotland with the information it needs to deliver effective healthcare, and the technology needed to deliver effective healthcare, and the technology needed to deliver that information to the right person at the right time.”

Langmead added: “Working in partnership with NHS Scotland, we will deliver world-class innovative and effective solutions with the ultimate aim of improving patient care for the people of Scotland.”

Further information on NHS Scotland’s IT project is available at http://www.itcontract.scot.nhs.uk/.