Darling to shelve NHS IT system

[AtW]

I wouldn't say that a 30 hour outage is a good service either... free or not.

No it's not, I don't use Gmail (for other reasons). however it should be pointed out this is a free service and one of the many Google provides - they only had maybe an hour (in the last year according to my memory) or so of downtime for their core (also free) service - search.

How far would Google go to guarantee uptime of NHS database for say £1 bln? I'd say pretty far enough to trust them keep uptime with their multiple datacenters.

[Mr.Whippy]

No it's not, I don't use Gmail (for other reasons). however it should be pointed out this is a free service and one of the many Google provides - they only had maybe an hour (in the last year according to my memory) or so of downtime for their core (also free) service - search.

How far would Google go to guarantee uptime of NHS database for say £1 bln? I'd say pretty far enough to trust them keep uptime with their multiple datacenters.

Free or not......30 hours in just a single outage is appalling.... 30 hours in the course of a whole year is pretty atrocious, but a single outage?

[Bagpuss]

Those of you who rode the public sector gravy train should be voting labour. Unless you want to join the real world.

[AtW]

Free or not......30 hours in just a single outage is appalling.... 30 hours in the course of a whole year is pretty atrocious, but a single outage?

30 hours for some users for a free product they have no contract to maintain, yes that's pretty effing good free deal - won't get better, which is why gmail is so popular.

Google's main product - search is very high uptime, I never in 10 years came across with it being down, despite still being free (since it makes them money they put resources to keep it up more than anything else).

Do you even have any appreciation how much £12,000,000,000 is? This IT project should have NEVER EVER been allowed to commence in the first place - any project should be much smaller and this would make it easier to cut non-performing parts and also generally deliver.

In over 12 years in the UK I've used NHS 3 times - 1 of which was totally useless, another I regret big time, and final one was ok - it was trivial thing that any health pro should have dealt with.

I've used Soviet health system when USSR still existed and it was very good, free also - without any BS huge charges for "prescriptions". Just what kind of idiot thought up of a flat high fee per prescription?

[gingerjedi]

Those of you who rode the public sector gravy train should be voting labour. Unless you want to join the real world.

BUT THE REAL WORD IS FULL OF POOR PEOPLE, SAY BANKERS


Labour voters?

[TheFaQQer]

I know something about implementing large scale databases on a shoestring budget.

This one needs to work, though.

[TheFaQQer]

Good question - the first one so far.

I'd say this should be up to people who hold existing information: they'd be given API to store this data in new central database, they'd have to create patients information and import all existing data into it: it will be their responsibility to do so.

What would that result in? Some local contractors contracted to do the job. Are you sold yit?

Ah, so your "solution" is that you can deliver an empty database for £10 million. That's not entirely the same as matching the proposed system, now, is it?

[Mr.Whippy]

30 hours for some users for a free product they have no contract to maintain, yes that's pretty effing good free deal - won't get better, which is why gmail is so popular.

Some people do actually pay for the service also. Google themselves use it for their own email and as far as I know, they all suffered from the same outages. Like I said, 30 hours in a single outage is appalling. They offer a 99.9% SLA for the paid for service... which is approximately 9 hours a year. So with a single outage they're 3 x that and it's not the only outage they've suffered. I've had a BTinternet/Yahoo email account for over 13 years and not once have I been unable to access my email in that time.. And yes, it's free.

In over 12 years in the UK I've used NHS 3 times - 1 of which was totally useless, another I regret big time, and final one was ok - it was trivial thing that any health pro should have dealt with.

I've used it a couple of times, once when I almost killed myself in a motorbike crash. The care I received was top-notch, for free. They also came in handy delivering my baby and caring for my wife who lost almost 1.5 litres of blood during said delivery...again, for free....

You really don't understand the scale and complexity of the NHS organisation, that clearly shows with your posts. NPfIT will provide many benefits in the longer term and improve patient healthcare.

Yes, it's costing way too much money, I agree 100%. But I don't think it should be scrapped or scaled back because the big providers left, CSC & BT will no doubt start legal proceedings if they get their contracts cancelled. I believe the issue between CfH and Fujitsu is still not settled some 18 months after they had their contract cancelled.

If it's canned now, the only people that will benefit are the legal people who represent these huge IT companies. Us taxpayers will be left to foot the bill and be left with an NHS who's IT is left in the dark ages despite billions being spent.

[DimPrawn]

Can people please stop fretting about 10, or 20 or even £100bn of taxpayers money.

Darling can "print" that amount in a few milliseconds.

It's a pittance.

Just keep voting Labour and carry on.

[TheFaQQer]

Just what kind of idiot thought up of a flat high fee per prescription?

Robin Turton was the Secretary of State for Health, when Eden was Prime Minister.

Charges were first introduced under Chuchill in 1952, and under Eden it was changed from a price per prescription to a price per item. After three years, the charge was doubled under the MacMillan administration.

So, in short, what kind of idiot thought up the idea - a tory.

HTH.