By Andy McCue, 1 February 2006 11:45
NEWS
Welsh NHS Trusts have signed a joint software licensing deal with Microsoft covering 35,000 desktop computers that will save NHS Wales an estimated £6.1m over the course of the three-year contract.
NHS Wales said the licences would have cost more if they had been negotiated locally for each individual Trust.
The three-year Enterprise Agreement has been done with Software Assurance and covers licences for Windows XP, Office Professional Enterprise Edition, Windows, Exchange, Systems Management Server and Sharepoint Services.
In addition to the licences, the deal includes training vouchers for skills in the latest IT products, as well as a home-use programme that will enable healthcare staff with existing work-based licences to purchase a reduced-cost licence of the latest Microsoft Office software for personal use at home.
All 35,000 desktops will also have access to Microsoft's Welsh Language Pack, which enables computer users to adapt their software to display many commonly used features in Welsh.
Health minister Dr Brian Gibbons said in a statement: "This is excellent news for NHS Wales - and for patient care. The cost-saving deal we have agreed with Microsoft means that we can continue to ensure that money is focused where it is needed - on providing world class services for patients."
Carl Mustad, head of IT at Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust, added: "This deal will ensure that all NHS organisations keep software and licences relevant and up-to-date and that staff across the NHS are using the same version of the software. This compatibility across Wales will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the NHS use of IT resources."
The deal is being funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and managed by Welsh NHS IT body Informing Healthcare.
Comments
There are 5 comments. Join the discussion
1. Eddie Bleasdale
The big question is 'How is the NHS going to ensure patient confidentiality when it is hell bent on deploying systems that are insecure by design?'
Senior NHS executives seem to be determined to bury their heads in the sand while spending £ billions of tax payers money on IT systems that can not possibly provide the degree of trust that is required.
The deployment of IT systems in the NHS is a national scandal that needs to be exposed.
2. paul broome
How safe, how cosy, how predictable.
Money saved?
Why buy something in a "Sale" you don't need.
"Hurrah" shout the overworked NHS Staff "we can buy a discounted version of XP/Office etc and take our work home"
I don't believe in the "savings" myth. whoever anytime , anywhere had the saved cash to flash around on something useful.
Possible Options I guess were
Stay on Win2000, old Office etc..
Upgrade and spend money you don't need to spend and keep being stuck in the "look" what we saved upgrade/obsolescense cycle..
Take the pain and go Open Source and only ever have to say the "Saved" word once. - EVER.
3. Charles Smith
£60 per user per year saving. Errm wow.
Think how much they had to spend to achieve that saving, when it could have been a lot less for open source software.
4. Frank Smith
Hi
3 year Deal and the new M$ desktop just round the corner!!
Like buying last years car for the motor pool and paying full price.
Wonder who pushed this through and at what cost?
Microsoft job in the wings maybe for the lucky buyer
5. Jids DaBomb
I can't believe how daft they are to do such a thing. And it's not only them, I just read an article here about doctors remotely using a robot running on WINDOZE XP to go around and check on people... Who knows what might happen if xp somehow misinterprets the signals it gets (VERY possible), and injures the patient instead of letting the doctor(s) talk to it? Then who would be at blame? M$ or the people who decided to use xp?