NHS trusts pay millions in fines to IT suppliers

The NHS IT system is already two years behind schedule and way over budget and to add to the farce, cash strapped NHS trusts are now having to pay the suppliers £millions in fines for failing to second scarce staff to work with the suppliers. A Tory MP, Richard Bacon, on the Public Accounts Committee discovered the situation. He said

""At a time when hard-pressed NHS trusts are having to make painful choices to reduce deficits, they are being forced to pay money they don't have and release staff they can't spare, for something they don't want and which doesn't work ... the NHS is being hit with fines running into tens of millions of pounds, which it simply cannot afford".