Having spent nigh on 2 years (in a former life) working on the NPfIT/CfH turd polishing exercise, this doesn't really surprise me. br /

There are all sorts of issues (as brushed upon by other commentors), not least that some of the certain vendors' software was entirely not-fit-for-purpose from the get-go. br /

While the likes of iSOFT are still affiliated with this project, don't expect things to improve any time soon.

As long as healthcare is treated like a business expect "customer" satisfaction like when dealing with a... business. Come on let's get real... healthcare is just about profit like any business.

I think that I found the problem:

"The NHS in England has negotiated a central licensing arrangement with Microsoft - called an Enterprise Agreement (EA or EWA) - which provides software licences to all personal computers (including desktops and laptops) for specific core Microsoft products across all of the NHS organisations in England including Primary Care Groups, Acute, Ambulance, Community and Mental Health Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities, including Special Health Authorities.

The EA has also been extended to include the Department of Health and its relevant authorities, plus all Hospices and Palliative Care Units providing care to patients in England and linked to the Hospices Connect Programme."

I am glad that UK tax dollars are going to a good cause (Ballmer's wallet). Perhaps taxpayers could just withhold part of their taxes until the government comes to its senses, sues Microsoft, and installs a reliable, low-cost open-source health care services software that provides some value for their tax dollars?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open_source_healthcare_software

The problem is not the amount of cash spent on IT for the NHS. It's the fact that it is generally wasted. Blown on optimistic contracts, with no realistic measurement of success by either the public sector bodies or the contractors who sign them.

zero public sector short term accountability + opportunistic / inept contractors = cash p1ssed up the wall.

The problem is clearly that not enough money is spent on IT. The budget must be increased so that the system can survive.

Please notify me when the IT spending hits 25% of the nation's budget or double the military spoils.