BMA response to BMJ article "Challenges to implementing the national programme for information technology"

Commenting on research published in today's (5/8/05) BMJ, which finds that the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) has failed to properly engage NHS staff, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's Head of Science and Ethics, said:

"The BMA has long been concerned about the need for NPfIT to engage properly with clinicians or risk failure. The lack of engagement and consultation with the medical profession was wholly inadequate in the early stages of development but NHS Connecting for Health, who are developing the new IT system, has more recently made significant progress in its efforts to involve NHS staff.

“Large-scale public IT projects do not have a good track record in the UK and so it is paramount that the NHS learns the lessons of history and engages wherever possible with the frontline staff who will be using the new systems to deliver better patient care."