NHS Scotland pools budget for Microsoft savings

Better late than never

Posted in Public Sector, 30th October 2006 07:02 GMT

NHS National Services Scotland forecasts it will save up to £8m over three years from a new procurement deal with Microsoft

The deal, effective immediately, will standardise the procurement of software licences for 75,000 desktops and mobile computers in all of Scotland's 14 health boards and seven specialist centres.

The licences may also be provided to other partners, such as NHS doctors and dentists, in the near future.

Ron Anderson, director of information management technology for NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), told GC News: "The agreement will help deliver efficiency required for modern health services and will enable the exchange of information between the NHS and partners to improve patient care."

The money is expected to be saved through the reduction of administration costs and by making procurement easier for every board.

Professor Stuart Bain, chief executive of NSS, added: "This is a very exciting time for the health service in Scotland with agreements like this we are better positioned to deliver on our ambitious modernisation plans for the next 10 years through our Delivering for Health strategy.

"We see this agreement as a key building block in realising a modern, integrated and efficient health service."

This article was originally published at Kablenet.

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