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The Health Minister, Vaughan Gething (Lab, Cardiff S. & Penarth), has announced a £50million investment in NHS IT services, almost a year after a damning report from the Senedd’s Public Accounts Committee described the NHS Informatics Service as “outdated, unaccountable and putting lives at risk”.
The investment was initially announced in January 2019, but the Minister confirmed the details earlier this week.
“These are landmark changes, but there is more work to do, and I have commissioned further reviews in priority areas. I am determined that we maintain the pace of transformation, so that we use new digital technologies to benefit the public and patients in Wales, and to make our health and care services sustainable for future generations.”
– Health Minister, Vaughan Gething
Under the proposed programme of reforms, a new post of Chief Digital Officer for Health & Care will be established alongside a stand-alone health authority dedicated to digital systems – which will replace the Informatics Service.
Other measures include the modernisation of devices, moving to a cloud-based computing system and improvements to cybersecurity.
