£8bn digitisation strategy for UK's health service doesn't count as a strategy, says spending watchdog

Two years after it began, the NHS digitisation strategy still has no implementation plan and risks repeating the UK health services' legendary IT failures, according to a report by MPs. The House of Commons' Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the NHS should urgently publish a detailed plan describing how it aims to meet its …

[Flak]

Just give it to one of the cronies

I am sure there is a crony who runs a ferry business, a PPE business or similar who will happily relieve the public purse of funds.

Based on recent experience, actual experience not required!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Just give it to one of the cronies

Since you posted that, another one - 670k to a PR consultancy linked to Cummins family. This really is the most blatantly corrupt UK Government I've seen, they really are snouts in the trough. And the most annoying thing? Impossible to hold them to scrutiny.

[You aint sin me, roit]

Put Dido in charge

She knows how to spend cash without getting results, and you know your sensitive health data won't be safe in her hands. Bonus, she's a Tory peer and is married to a Tory MP so you'd be "keeping it in the family".

(Worryingly she is already chair of the NHS Improvement Board, so she's probably already involved.)

[Ken 16]

Leadership

Is there perhaps the wife of a government MP or minister who's willing to take on this challenge?

[Strahd Ivarius]

Re: Leadership

I heard that perhaps some Trump family members will be available next January.

[Howard Sway]

strategy doesn't count as a strategy

To be expected from a government that doesn't count as a government.

[Dixx]

Re: strategy doesn't count as a strategy

...or just doesn't count.

[ExampleOne]

"Furthermore, the national organisations have not yet put in place the planned levers and incentives to encourage trusts and other parts of the NHS to take the appropriate action on the ground.

Surely if your digitisation plans are actually beneficial and improving things, you don't need "levers" and "incentives" to "encourage" trusts to adopt them?

If the plans are obviously an improvement, surely the trusts will adopt them without major push-back. If they aren't obvious improvements, perhaps the trusts are correct to push back given the risk involved when things go wrong?

[Doctor Syntax]

HMG and an implementation plan. That would be a novelty.

[Socks and Sandals]

Led by...?

If NHSX is to "lead digital transformation in the NHS”, then I’m not sure their leadership team is well placed to ensure that a quality suite of good-value IT solutions (for Digital implies IT) is the end result.

Read their LinkedIn profiles and weep.

[Trigonoceps occipitalis]

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE BLEEDIN' OBVIOUS

"We are far from convinced that the Department and NHS bodies have learned the lessons from previous IT programmes."