by Paul Kunert
24 June 2008
Fujitsu Services has told staff working on the NHS Connecting for Health National Programme for IT (NPfIT) it recently withdrew from that they have been given a 90 day consultation period to discuss their future options.
Earlier this month, Fujitsu Services walked away from the £1.1bn contract because it had been unable to agree terms with the NHS Executive over the next stage of the contract (Microscope 2 June).
The result is that 700 staff working on the programme at Fujitsu Services have warned that their positions are at risk of redundancy.
“Fujitsu Services can confirm that it will commence a 90 day consultation period for its employees working on the NHS NPfIT. This process allow the employees to discuss, on a formal basis, the option available to them,” it said in a statement.
In response, the UK’s largest union Unite has called on the Government to waste no time in appointing a new NPfIT service provider to safeguard the jobs and skills of staff at Fujitsu Services.
Peter Skyte, Unite national officer told Microscope BT had been mooted as a possible successor to Fujitsu at the recent public accounts committee but he urged the Government to act decisively.
“We understand from the public accounts committee a decision could take another month leaving 700 people in limbo,” he said.
Skyte added it was essential the skills and knowledge of Fujitsu staff was not lost to the NHS NPfIT.
Fujitsu’s portion of the NHS deal included activities to modernise IT systems, provide electronic patient records, and timely and easy access to information and test results.
In September 2006 Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) replaced Accenture in its £2bn during contract under the National Programme for NHS IT and staff transferred under the agreement.
Awarding the contract to a single supplier would be the best resolution for Fujitsu staff said Skyte, “breaking up the contract would make it much less certain for Fujitsu staff.”
