HC Deb 28 October 1992 vol 212 cc726-9W
Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the actual and budgeted annual expenditure, by region, on the training of NHS staff in the use of information technology systems in each year since 1989.

Mr. Sackville

This information is not available centrally.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many skilled computer staff are employed in each national health service region and in total by the NHS.

Mr. Sackville

Detailed information as requested is not held centrally. Based on sample information of staff receiving automatic data processing allowances, we estimate that there was a total of 3,800 skilled computer staff directly employed in the NHS in Great Britain at June 1992.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to monitor the number of NHS staff receiving information technology training each year.

Mr. Sackville

No.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which pilot projects for hospital information support systems have now been evaluated; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Sackville

All hospital information support systems (HISS) projects include a project evaluation framework as part of the standard project management processes. Evaluations are conducted at appropriate project stages. These regular evaluations include a general review of timeliness and budgetary compliance, as well as relevant detailed assessment of, for example, quality and completeness of data capture, adequacy of procedures and training, and system outputs.

No end of project evaluation has as yet been possible, since all sites are still, as planned, in the implementation phase. Mid-stage assessments have been conducted, and have in some instances resulted in changes in scope, phasing or resourcing of the project. The end of implementation evaluations will include assessment of timescales, total costs, benefits already realised, further potential benefits, organisational impact, technical adequacy and lessons learned.

The economics and operational research (EOR) division of the Department of Health is considering some of the work already conducted on evaluation by the three original HISS projects at Darlington memorial hospital, Greenwich district hospital and Nottingham city hospital NHS Trust, with a view to developing national guidance material on project evaluation.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to monitor the expenditure on computer hardware and software and related management salaries and consultancy fees for trust hospitals.

Mr. Sackville

The National Health Service Management Executive does not intend to monitor expenditure on computer hardware and software or associated consultancy fees separately from the general arrangements for accounting for capital expenditure in trusts. Trusts determine their own capital investment strategies but have to make business cases to support them which are reviewed by the NHS Management Executive to ensure they are appropriate and affordable by purchasers. Trusts account for actual capital expenditure in their annual accounts which are subject to audit and published. I am satisfied that these arrangements provide a suitable framework for ensuring that all capital investment by trusts is properly controlled.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on consultancy fees in connection with the purchase of information technology systems by each regional health authority in each year since 1987–88.

Mr. Sackville

The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of whether the purchasing procedures and audit mechanisms operating in the NHS are adequate to ensure the efficient and effective use of NHS funds for the purpose of purchasing and developing information technology systems; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Sackville

All national health service bodies have standing orders and standing financial orders to follow to ensure that they comply with best practice in public procurement policies. To ensure better use of national health service resources for purchasing and developing information technology systems, the existing advice on procurement has been reviewed and updated by NHS Supplies. This thorough assessment has resulted in the development and introduction of new guidelines, procurement of information systems effectively (POISE). These will be issued to those responsible within the NHS for IT procurement and will help hospitals, trusts, units and health authorities match systems accurately to their individual needs in a cost-effective manner. These guidelines, in addition to others encompassing information management and technology, will be launched later this year and will improve further the NHS's utilisation of information technology.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the costs of hardware, software, and consultancy fees for the CARE information system purchased by Guy's hospital in London.

Mr. Sackville

This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Griffiths, the chief executive of the Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the costs of hardware, software and consultancy fees for the GIANT information system purchased by Guy's hospital in London.

Mr. Sackville

This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Griffiths, the chief executive of the Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the contracts for the supply of information technology systems to the NHS of a value of more than £2 million in each year since 1987–88 by region, title of the project and supplier.

Mr. Sackville

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress made towards the implementation of the targets for the development of information systems in the NHS established in the document, "Framework for Information Systems: The Next Steps".

Mr. Sackville

Good progress has been made in taking forward the wide ranging objectives set out in "Framework for Information Systems: The Next Steps".

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the anticipated expenditure on computer hardware and software in each NHS region, in each of the years from 1992–93 to 1994–95.

Mr. Sackville

Health authorities are required to produce annual accounts which are submitted to the Department. These accounts do not incorporate details of anticipated expenditure.

The monitoring of health authorities' anticipated expenditure is restricted to broad measures, in which computer expenditure is not separately identified.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health information support systems projects have been initiated; and what is the cost of each project to date.

Mr. Sackville

A large number of hospital sites have been implementing computer systems that provide integrated facilities. It is estimated that some 40 sites have either procured, or are in the process of procuring health information support systems (HISS) solutions. In addition, there are perhaps another 60 or so sites who have already achieved a degree of integration amongst their operational systems. Often, this reflects regional initiatives, and the situation is therefore localised rather than evenly spread.

Information as to the cost of HISS within the national health service at large is not held centrally. Under EC legislation, however, there is a requirement for all purchases made under competitive tendering rules to be published in the Official Journal of the European Community within 48 days of contract award.

Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions since 1985 the purchase of information technology systems by regional and district health authorities and hospital trusts has been the subject of audit inquiries by the district audit service, the National Audit Office or other auditors appointed by Her Majesty's Government or regional or district health authorities for that specific purpose; and whether she will list(a) those published and (b) those yet to be published.

Mr. Sackville

Auditors selectively review expenditure, including that on information technology, as part of their annual certification process. It is therefore not possible to provide figures on the number of inquiries carried out. Where inquiries by statutory auditors have led to formal reports, these have been recorded centrally. Reports in which procurement of information technology was identified as a main criticism were issued in respect of the following health authorities:

  • North Western RHA
  • Tunbridge Wells HA
  • Wessex RHA
  • South Western RHA
  • The former Leeds Eastern HA

The list refers to statutory audit reports issued in respect of financial years 1985–86 to 1991–92. In some cases, the auditor issued more than one report on the same authority. Reports by internal auditors are excluded.

The National Audit Office published a report entitled "Managing Computer Projects in the National Health Services" in November 1990. This included a review of procurement arrangements in a sample of health authorities.

We do not have comprehensive information on matters under examination by statutory auditors.