BT awarded £1.6bn IT contracts for NHS

BT have been awarded two major IT contracts by the Department of Health for the NHS totalling £1.6 billion over the next 10 years.

The largest contract worth £996 million is part of the NHS National Programme for IT. As Local Service Provider for London, BT will design, deliver and operate integrated local patient record applications and systems for the whole London care community.

In the second contract for £620 million also announced today also part of the NHS National Programme for IT, BT as a National Application Service Provider will design, deliver and manage a national patient record database and transactional messaging service which is viewed as a "critical component" of the NHS Care Records Service.

Ben Verwaayen, BT's Chief Executive Officer, said: "These wins are BT's biggest ever, and evidence of the new face of BT truly emerging. This is BT taking on world class competition on its own territory and winning."

When fully implemented the NHS Care Records Service will enable NHS organisations to record and exchange patient and care information electronically, eliminating duplication of patient files and improving information sharing between healthcare professionals.

As the prime contractor, BT will deliver and operate the service through systems integration subsidiary Syntegra and a number of other top companies.

Chief Executive of Syntegra, Tim Smart, said: "We share the government's vision of the NHS as a world-class patient care provider and our people and the expert partners we have chosen to work with are committed to making that vision a reality."

Europe's largest private secure network, NHSnet and the NHS Messaging Service deliver more than one million emails, prescriptions and clinical records each day and make a vital contribution to effective healthcare.

The NHS Numbers For Babies service ensures that within minutes of a baby's birth midwives can obtain their all-important NHS number. This unique identifier forms the basis of a lifelong electronic care record, eliminates incomplete or muddled sets of information and helps ensure prompt and appropriate care for infants right from birth.

Richard Granger, Director General of NHS IT, said: "I am delighted that we are now working with BT in implementing such an important element of the National Programme for IT, which will provide every patient an individual NHS Care Record.

"BT's commitment to this project has been clearly demonstrated throughout the procurement process and I look forward to working with them to deliver a world-class solution to patients and healthcare professionals alike."

(SP)