§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which regional health authorities have transferred their computer processing to which commercial organisations; and in each case what has happened to those who were employed by the authorities in work related to computer processing.
§ Mr. FreemanDetails of those regional health authorities that have transferred their computer processing to commercial organisations are as follows
WESSEX—Have transferred all computer processing to the private sector. Two centres exist containing former RHA computer staff covering both IBM and ICL installations. One is run by ISTEL and the other by Wessex Integrated Systems, a subsidiary of CIPFA Facilities Management Ltd. The staff are all working in the private sector except for a small core organisation responsible for strategic advice, overall monitoring and contract compliance.TRENT—Have transferred their RHA computer centre to ISTEL. The computer centre employed 88 staff and 83 of these have transferred to ISTEL's payroll; the remaining five will remain on the RHA payroll but are contracted to work for the new organisation.WEST MIDLANDS—A management buyout of the RHA's Management Service Division was concluded on 20 December. The new company is called QA Business Services and all staff have transferred to it.Four other Regions—Yorkshire, Mersey, Northern and East Anglian are at varying stages of negotiation with commercial organisations.