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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of EMIS. [192806] Mr. Hutton: [holding answer 21 October 2004]: Egton Medical Information Systems (EMIS) are suppliers of significant numbers of medical information systems to primary care practitioners. Currently around 55 per cent. of general practitioner practices use the EMIS suite of software products on annually renewed contracts. The position in relation to the national programme for information technology (NPfIT) in England is that EMIS are working co-operatively with NPfIT to make their systems compliant for the programme's electronic booking service. EMIS also co-operated with the recent upgrade to GP IT systems to support the quality and outcomes framework introduced under the new general medical services contract. In terms of commercial arrangements, EMIS have told NPfIT that they have not been able to reach a satisfactory contractual arrangement with any of the programme's local service providers who are responsible for delivering NPfIT applications at a local level. They have indicated that for the time being they intend to continue managing their business on the current basis. The NPfIT would prefer that EMIS were participating more directly in its on-going programme. However, there are certain contractual and operational conditions that come with direct participation, which EMIS have, to date, had difficulty in accepting. It is a matter for EMIS to decide whether the company will contract with one or more local service provider. If they are unable or unwilling to do this, it is open to them to continue to supply their systems as long as GPs choose to buy them.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

425 c1044-5W; 192806

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Contracts Software ICT NHS

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk