The government is trying to fix a quick deal with suppliers for its controversial £12.7bn NHS IT programme ahead of the next General Election, the BBC has been told. The NHS IT project is years behind schedule Industry insiders and the Conservative Party allege the deals, which would be in place by the end of March, would "tie the hands" of whoever forms the next government. But Health Minister Mike O'Brien said it was "nonsense" to expect the government to suspend negotiations just because of the impending election. Last December Chancellor Alistair Darling said NHS spending which was not front line, such as parts of the IT project, should be shelved in the coming round of spending cuts. Digital case notesThe ambitious scheme, which aimed to make patient records digitally available to every surgery and hospital in England, is years behind time. Originally planned to be completed in 2006, 2015 is the latest estimate for full implementation. Tory policy would seek to halt the two main contracts and dismantle its central infrastructure.[Read more...]