PAS upgrade problems reported in North West

Problems with delays to patient administration system software upgrades and quality of IT services provided by Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) under the NHS IT programme have been reported in the North West.

As a result, trusts face delays in getting the software updates to iSoft iPM PAS software installed by CSC, the local service provider for the North, Midlands and East, including the tools they need to help them monitor and deliver 18-week wait targets.

In the area covered by North West strategic health authority delays in the delivery of maintenance releases by CSC have required a rescheduling of the PAS upgrades programme.

The admission came in board papers put before NHS NW in January in which chief information officer Alan Spours says: “There have been ongoing delays in the delivery of PAS maintenance releases from CSC during 2007. This has also been compounded by issues around the quality of the service.

“As a consequence, the PAS schedule of upgrades has been replanned, and therefore some of the enhancements trusts have been waiting for have been delayed, including support for 18 week wait.

“The NHS is working closely with Connecting for Health and CSC to reach a satisfactory resolution.” Spours elaborated on the background to the delays in a written response to questions from EHI.

The latest upgrade known as LE2.2 has been implemented in Morecambe Bay, he said. “This provides significant enhancements required by the NHS to improve services to patients.”

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust is due to become one of the first to implement Lorenzo when it is released later this summer.

But he added: “Notwithstanding these improvements there have been some concerns primarily about the performance of the upgraded PAS.

“The trust, SHA, CfH and CSC have agreed a service improvement plan which is aimed at addressing these issues, and the trust is already beginning to gain the benefits of this work, which is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.”

The implementation of the iPM PAS has posed a series of technical and implementation challenges for the NHS and CSC, he added, but Spours said he expected these issues to be addressed with the roll out of Lorenzo at Morecambe Bay and four other trusts over the next two years.

He said: “Whilst iPM is an effective PAS, it is based on old technology and design – Lorenzo is based on a modern design intended to deliver a world class product to support the delivery of healthcare in a changing NHS.

“Demonstrations of the Lorenzo Release 1 product (orders, results and clinical documentation) have been underway during the last three months, and the positive response from the NHS has improved confidence that the product is close to becoming reality.”