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24 Mar 2004 : Column 924W—continued
National Programme for Information Technology
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2004, Official Report, column 1112W, on the IT Programme, what the total projected cost of the National Programme for Information Technology was for each year when it was announced, including local and central procurement; what the latest available total projected cost is; and if he will make a statement. [160702]
Mr. Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 4 March 2004, Official Report, column 1111W, which set out the projected costs of the national programme for information technology (NPfIT) when it was announced in June 2002.
Since that time contracts of up to nine years duration have been awarded under the NpfIT, as shown in the table.
| Company | Value(£ million) | Contract |
|---|---|---|
| BT | 620 | National data spine |
| BT | 530 | National broadband network |
| Atos Origin SchlumbergerSema) | 64.5 | National e-booking service |
| Accenture | 1,099 | North East local service provider (LSP) |
| Accenture | 934 | Eastern LSP |
| BT | 996 | London LSP |
| CSC | 973 | North West and West Midlands LSP |
| Fujitsu | 986 | Southern LSP |
Local spend by national health service trusts on IT has been approximately £850 million per year and this level of local investment from the baseline allocation needs to continue to provide adequate resource to support local implementation of the national programme.
National Service Frameworks
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which of his Department's National Service
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Frameworks specific funding has been allocated to primary care trusts for the delivery of the guidelines; and if he will make a statement. [161935]
Mr. Hutton: Revenue allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) for 2003–04 to 2005–06 were announced on 11 December 2002. The allocations include funding for all national service frameworks and national policy developments. None of the growth money has been identified for specific purposes. PCTs will be able to use these extra resources to deliver on both national and local priorities.
Neurofibromatosis Association
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Neurofibromatosis Association will be told the outcome of their section 64 grant application for the development of a specialist adviser service. [162498]
Dr. Ladyman: The Neurofibromatosis Association were told the outcome of their section 64 grant application verbally on 19 March, and a letter of notification was sent to them on the same day.
NHS Capital Use
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each (a) NHS region, (b) strategic health authority and (c) NHS trust the (i) monetary value of approvals to use capital for revenue purposes, (ii) the number of approvals and (iii) the total capital allocation for 2002–03. [153933]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 9 February 2004]: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
NHS Professionals
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate (a) the total cost to date of NHS Professionals and (b) the total savings the agency has made in the cost of agency spending; and if he will make a statement; [159773]
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 4 February, Official Report, column 969W, on NHS Professionals, (1) what assessment he has made of how much NHS Professionals (a) has saved and (b) has cost to set up and run to date; [160415]
- (2) how much funding NHS Professionals has received from the Department for set-up and running costs in each year since its inception; [160498]
(3) how much funding NHS Professionals is forecast to receive from the Department in future financial years; and whether it is predicted to be self-funding. [160593]
Mr. Hutton: NHS Professionals was initially allocated £7 million to support the start up of pilot sites. A further £24 million was invested in 2002–03 to support roll out and it is anticipated that approximately £22 million will be spent in 2003–04. The NHS Professionals Special Health Authority business plan for 2004–05 is currently being finalised. The business plan will set out the level of funding required for NHS Professionals to be self-sustaining in the longer-term.
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The cost savings for National Health Service trusts using the NHS Professionals service are accrued at a local level and there is currently no central collection of this information. Information on local benefits and savings will be collected in future by the newly established NHS Professionals Special Health Authority.
NHS Staff (IT Qualifications)
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the cost per individual of training and accrediting NHS staff with the European Computer Driving Licence for IT; and whether this estimate includes financial costs incurred through lost working hours; [161021]
- (2) what the implications of the National Plan for IT in the NHS are for NHS staff who are unable to (a) demonstrate proficiency in IT and (b) obtain a European computer driving licence; [161022]
(3) which types of NHS staff will be required to obtain a European computer driving licence; [161023]
(4) how many NHS staff hold a recognised IT qualification for the purposes of working in the NHS; and whether such staff will be required to obtain a European computer driving licence; [161024]
(5) if he will estimate the number of NHS staff who will be required to obtain a European computer driving licence (ECDL); and whether staff who already have a recognised IT qualification will be required to obtain an ECDL. [161027]
Mr. Hutton: The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) is a qualification recognised around the world for basic computing skills. General information technology skills should be seen as an everyday requirement for any service based organisation. The opportunity to gain the ECDL qualification is offered to all staff working in the National Health Service. For NHS staff, it provides a basic level of knowledge, which enables people to demonstrate their competence in computer skills. The ECDL is completed in modules and designed to be completed over time and to fit in and around any other work requirements.
There is no formal requirement for NHS staff to hold the ECDL for the purpose of working in the NHS. As a matter of good practice, and as part of its commitment to life-long learning, the NHS encourages all staff to develop appropriate skills, including competency in the use of IT.
The national health informatics development team within the NHS Information Authority has put in place central facilities to support local NHS organisations in training needs around the ECDL. Since the programme was launched in March 2003, 9,000 people have qualified and a further 54,000 have registered. It is expected that up 40 per cent. of NHS staff will register over the five year timescale of the central programme. The central programme provides central support for registration and validation of ECDL training that would otherwise fall to individual NHS organisations and is expected to cost £15 million. It remains the responsibility of local NHS organisations to provide local facilities. Specific costs for ECDL training by individual members of staff are not identified.
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Training, development and deployment of staff is a matter for local management. The NHS is an organisation committed to equal opportunities and valuing diversity therefore appropriate opportunities and support should be made available for all staff regardless of whether they hold an ECDL qualification or not.
The Government hope that training and skills development are regarded as an integral part of employment, and that time spent by staff on training for any recognised vocational skill is not identified as lost.
NHS University Helpline
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many calls have been made to the NHS University Helpline in each month that the service has been operational; [162099]
- (2) what the cost of establishing the NHS University Helpline was; and what estimate he has made of the monthly cost of operating it; [162100]
(3) on what date the NHS University Helpline started operating. [162101]
Mr. Hutton: The NHSU helpline—u-/—was launched on 24 November 2003.
The service is still in its early stages of development and will not become fully operational in the national health service until next financial year.
In the trial period to date, over 1,000 individuals have contacted the service seeking independent advice on learning and personal development.
- December—223
- January—234
- February—306
- March (to 14 March 2004)—287
The set-up costs were £567,000
The estimated monthly operating costs for this period were £49,700.
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