§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his director of procurement is in charge of ICT procurement. [68108]
§ Mr. Lammy[holding answer 11 July 2002]The Department's head of procurement is responsible for information and communication technology (ICT) procurement for the Department itself.
Procurements undertaken by national health service trusts and authorities in England are formally the responsibility of the relevant chief executive. They are advised and supported by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. As an integral part of the Department, the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency is in a key position to advise on policy and the strategic direction of procurement, and its impact on developing healthcare, across the NHS. The agency contracts on a national basis
215Wfor products and services that are strategically critical to the NHS (including ICT). It also acts in cases where aggregated purchasing power will yield greater economic savings than those achieved by contracting on a local or regional basis.
National strategic procurements for the NHS in England are undertaken by the NHS information authority in conjunction with the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency.
Overall direction of the NHS information management and technology strategy for the NHS in England, including ICT procurement policy, is led by the director of research, analysis and information, Sir John Pattison.