Credit: Microsoft

NHS Scotland is to bring together more than 100 disparate IT systems and unite 161,000 staff on Microsoft’s Office 365 platform.

The move will allow all NHS employees in Scotland – including GPs, nurses, hospital consultants, and support staff – to communicate and share clinical information via one digital platform. As part of a major new agreement with Microsoft, NHS Scotland will also be moving all its computers to the Windows 10 E5 operating system.

Scotland’s cabinet secretary for health and sport Jeane Freeman said: “In Scotland, we are building a properly joined-up health and social care system, which is much more focused on getting the right information to the right people at the right time, whether it’s a care professional or an individual managing their own health. That includes developing a new National Digital Platform, setting out common standards and approaches for healthcare systems, so that people can get the best care, regardless of where they are. Moving to Office 365 is a key building block in that process.”

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NHS Scotland’s contract with Microsoft runs for an initial term of three years, with the option to extend this by a further 24 months.

“By moving to Windows 10 E5, NHS Scotland can be confident that its systems are running on the most up-to-date software at all times,” said Microsoft UK chief executive Cindy Rose. “As a result, the organisation will have a real-time view of any potential cyberthreats and can therefore minimise the impact of any cyberattack across the entire organisation.”

Earlier this year the Department of Health and Social Care signed a £150m contract with Microsoft that will see all computers across NHS organisations in England upgraded to Windows 10.
 

On December 5 in central London, PublicTechnology is hosting a free roundtable event to discuss the challenges and opportunities of cloud migration for the public sector. The discussion – which will feature a range of experts from across local and central government, the NHS, education, and law enforcement – will cover the potential benefits and drawbacks of moving to cloud, as well as best practice and insights gained from migration projects. Places are limited, so click here for further details, or email roundtables@dodsgroup.com to register your interest in taking part, or to find out more.