Written question asked by Andrew Murrison (Conservative) on Wednesday, 3 November 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 16 November 2004. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 November 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Department of Health's Press Release dated 3rd November, if he will make a statement on the extent to which (a) products provided to the NHS free by Microsoft will be customised and (b) users have been consulted in drawing up plans with Microsoft; and what assessment has been made of the benefits to Microsoft from the arrangement.

Answer: Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Department of Health's press release dated 3 November, if he will make a statement on the extent to which (a) products provided to the NHS free by Microsoft will be customised and (b) users have been consulted in drawing up plans with Microsoft; and what assessment has been made of the benefits to Microsoft from the arrangement. [196965] Mr. Hutton: Work has begun, and is still ongoing, to determine the extent to which the relevant Microsoft products will need to be customised. The work is being informed by very wide-scale consultation involving individual expert clinical systems users covering a variety of disciplines and fields; representatives of appropriate professional bodies including the royal colleges; the National Patient Safety Agency; the British Computer Society's primary care group; the national health service information standards board; and an action team of expert front-line practitioners commissioned by the care record development board. Consultation will be an interactive process and will include arrangements for sign-off of any interface intended for deployment across the NHS. Assessment of the benefits to Microsoft from the agreement is a matter for the company.

Secondary information