Ministers axe £12BN NHS computer system

The disastrous NHS computer system commissioned by Labour at a cost of £12billion is to be scrapped. Ministers are expected to announce today they are pulling the plug on the world’s largest single civilian computer system. The 10-year “white elephant” has been beset with delays as a series of contractors failed to deliver and has been heavily criticised by spending watchdogs. It was promised that it would create a national database of electronic patient records which would allow surgeries and hospitals to share medical information. It was also intended that X-rays and prescriptions could be sent by email. In May, the National Audit Office said the project represented poor value for money and the Commons Public Accounts Committee said a huge amount of money had been wasted. The coalition Government is cutting its losses just as Chancellor George Osborne was warned of a £12billion black hole in his deficit reduction programme. The Government wants regional health trusts to buy computer systems to suit their needs. The news comes days after a Labour plan to replace 46 fire control rooms with nine new regional centres ended in “complete failure”, costing taxpayers half a billion pounds.MPs admitted the project was “flawed from the outset”.