UK health secretary confirms end for NHS Digital, architect of the GP data grab debacle
(2021/11/22)
- Reference: 1637597731
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/11/22/health_secretary_confirms_the_end/
- Source link:
The UK health secretary has confirmed the demise of NHS Digital and NHSX, the organisations that take various roles in NHS IT strategy and execution.
In an internal email seen by The Register , Matthew Gould, CEO of NHSX, said that his organisation, along with NHS Digital, would be incorporated into NHS England's Transformation Directorate, a move which he suggested would "enable the NHS to drive the people-centred, digitally-enabled, data-driven vision for which we have been advocating."
"The NHSX and NHS Digital brands will both be retired, to emphasise the single, united approach to digital transformation that the NHS will now take, and the need for organisational clarity and simplicity in how it drives this agenda forward," he said.
[1]
The email said Laura Wade-Gery, former chief executive of Tesco.com, has conducted a review of NHS IT strategy which recommended a more coherent approach to digital transformation.
[2]
[3]
Gould said NHSX was currently "agreeing the timeline" with NHS England to determine the movement of staff to the new organisation.
NHS England & NHS Improvement, to give it its full name, leads the National Health Service in England and is the main interface between the organisation and the government, crucially paying trusts and GP practices.
[4]
Last week health secretary Sajid Javid [5]signalled a shake-up of the health service's IT bodies. Speaking at a conference for NHS care providers, Javid had said: "Although we've seen phenomenal work on digital transformation during this pandemic from so many people, it does strike me as odd that digital leadership is currently split across NHSE, NHSX and NHS Digital."
The Department of Health and Social Care has been asked to confirm the changes and provide a statement.
[6]Future of the three NHS bodies managing health tech in doubt after £2.1bn cash injection
[7]NHS Digital exposes hundreds of email addresses after BCC blunder copies in entire invite list to 'Let's talk cyber' event
[8]Brit MPs blast Baroness Dido Harding's performance as head of NHS Test and Trace
[9]Watchdog 'disappointed' it took NHS England over a year to release details of access to Palantir COVID-19 data store
The decision to axe two digital agencies follows a £2.1bn cash injection from the Treasury, which over the next three years promises to "support innovative use of digital technology so hospitals and other care organisations are as connected and efficient as possible," according to the [10]Autumn Statement .
Lack of clarity on NHS IT strategy and management had been flagged by the National Audit Office (NAO) spending watchdog. Before the most recent changes, three organisations had been involved.
NHS England & NHS Improvement was responsible for IT strategy and approved projects where capital cost exceeded £15m. NHS Digital was the main national body responsible for delivering this strategy. Then, in 2019, the Department of Health launched NHSX to "lead digital transformation in the NHS."
[11]
"National governance arrangements for digital transformation remain confused, despite attempts to clarify them," the [12]NAO report said in May 2020 .
NHS Digital has been mired in a battle over access to GP data in a project which gave scant time for patients to understand their data rights and makes decisions on how their medical information is handled. Plans to extract data under the General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR) project are [13]currently suspended following a backlash from GPs . ®
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[5] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/18/nhs_health_tech_reorg/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/18/nhs_health_tech_reorg/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/20/bcc_fail_nhs_digital/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/12/mp_report_test_and_trace/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/18/nhs_england_palantir_register/
[10] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/budget-and-spending-review-october-2021-what-you-need-to-know
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YZvMxST8vfam3KFim3aEcQAAAMY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/18/latest_nhs_it_revolution_is/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/20/nhs_data_grab_delayed_again/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
In an internal email seen by The Register , Matthew Gould, CEO of NHSX, said that his organisation, along with NHS Digital, would be incorporated into NHS England's Transformation Directorate, a move which he suggested would "enable the NHS to drive the people-centred, digitally-enabled, data-driven vision for which we have been advocating."
"The NHSX and NHS Digital brands will both be retired, to emphasise the single, united approach to digital transformation that the NHS will now take, and the need for organisational clarity and simplicity in how it drives this agenda forward," he said.
[1]
The email said Laura Wade-Gery, former chief executive of Tesco.com, has conducted a review of NHS IT strategy which recommended a more coherent approach to digital transformation.
[2]
[3]
Gould said NHSX was currently "agreeing the timeline" with NHS England to determine the movement of staff to the new organisation.
NHS England & NHS Improvement, to give it its full name, leads the National Health Service in England and is the main interface between the organisation and the government, crucially paying trusts and GP practices.
[4]
Last week health secretary Sajid Javid [5]signalled a shake-up of the health service's IT bodies. Speaking at a conference for NHS care providers, Javid had said: "Although we've seen phenomenal work on digital transformation during this pandemic from so many people, it does strike me as odd that digital leadership is currently split across NHSE, NHSX and NHS Digital."
The Department of Health and Social Care has been asked to confirm the changes and provide a statement.
[6]Future of the three NHS bodies managing health tech in doubt after £2.1bn cash injection
[7]NHS Digital exposes hundreds of email addresses after BCC blunder copies in entire invite list to 'Let's talk cyber' event
[8]Brit MPs blast Baroness Dido Harding's performance as head of NHS Test and Trace
[9]Watchdog 'disappointed' it took NHS England over a year to release details of access to Palantir COVID-19 data store
The decision to axe two digital agencies follows a £2.1bn cash injection from the Treasury, which over the next three years promises to "support innovative use of digital technology so hospitals and other care organisations are as connected and efficient as possible," according to the [10]Autumn Statement .
Lack of clarity on NHS IT strategy and management had been flagged by the National Audit Office (NAO) spending watchdog. Before the most recent changes, three organisations had been involved.
NHS England & NHS Improvement was responsible for IT strategy and approved projects where capital cost exceeded £15m. NHS Digital was the main national body responsible for delivering this strategy. Then, in 2019, the Department of Health launched NHSX to "lead digital transformation in the NHS."
[11]
"National governance arrangements for digital transformation remain confused, despite attempts to clarify them," the [12]NAO report said in May 2020 .
NHS Digital has been mired in a battle over access to GP data in a project which gave scant time for patients to understand their data rights and makes decisions on how their medical information is handled. Plans to extract data under the General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR) project are [13]currently suspended following a backlash from GPs . ®
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[5] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/18/nhs_health_tech_reorg/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/18/nhs_health_tech_reorg/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/20/bcc_fail_nhs_digital/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/12/mp_report_test_and_trace/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/18/nhs_england_palantir_register/
[10] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/budget-and-spending-review-october-2021-what-you-need-to-know
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YZvMxST8vfam3KFim3aEcQAAAMY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/18/latest_nhs_it_revolution_is/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/20/nhs_data_grab_delayed_again/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Here we go again
Yet Another Anonymous coward
10 fsck up
20 rename organisation
30 got 10
In this case I expect NHSx to be called Windscale by the end of the year
Re: Here we go again
Eclectic Man
Well, when 'CLAS' (CESG Listed Advisor Scheme) of the Communications-Electronics Security Group of the Government Communications Head Quarters was 'in bad odour' with HMG recently, it was completely disbanded and replaced with the National Cyber Security Centre, which, needing people skilled in protecting HMG IT assets, and finding a whole load of them unaccountably available, got them all.
But at least they moved some of the people to London.
Brands
Greybearded old scrote
As the second paragraph says, just branding.
Reminds me of when I worked for Auntie Beeb. Every other year the org chart was shuffled, but I was still in the same chair doing the same work with the same people. Didn't even get a new boss, so I can't link to The Who.
Windscale was rebranded as Sellafield
Anonymous Coward
because the original name was considered to be too toxic.
Re: Windscale was rebranded as Sellafield
wolfetone
The funny thing being the name was the least toxic thing about the whole place.
Re: Windscale was rebranded as Sellafield
Eclectic Man
In his series on the Lake District National Park and its environs, Simon Reeve will be showing the inside of the site this coming Sunday evening, 28th November, at 9:00pm on BBC 2.
A single FOIA mailbox...
Rob Dyke
should make it easier to not get answers from The Centre
Buzzword Bingo
Eclectic Man
> "people-centred, digitally-enabled, data-driven vision"
HOUSE!
Here we go again
From past experience this will result in the same people doing the same jobs at the same desks only with different headed notepaper. Half the staff will quit and come back as contractors on five times the salary. Expensive branding will be undertaken. Capita and co will make a fortune. NHS digital efforts will be same or worse.