Healthcare and NHS IT

IT is becoming increasingly critical for healthcare delivery. Vital initiatives such as electronic medical records, patient administration systems and telehealth are receiving growing investment in the NHS and elsewhere. Key technologies such as mobile, tablets and cloud are also essential for improving the healthcare industry with digital healthcare technology. Read the latest news about NHS IT and find resources on the broader world of healthcare IT with the news, case studies and advice in this topic section.

News 03 Jan 2024
Artificial intelligence to the front in Sweden’s National Technology Strategy

Sweden focuses in on artificial intelligence in its latest far-reaching national IT strategy Continue Reading
Feature 25 Oct 2023
Finland shows off its new 20-qubit quantum computer

Anybody who scoffs at Finland’s lofty ambitions in the field of quantum computing should remember that not only is the country home to one of Europe's most successful companies (Nokia), but it also houses Europe’s most powerful supercomputer (LUMI). Continue Reading

News 17 Apr 2019

UK government to introduce online porn age checks

World-first regulations will see age verification introduced in July and enforced by the British Board of Film Classification. Non-compliant sites risk withdrawal of payment services or being blocked Continue Reading
News 17 Apr 2019

HM Land Registry completes blockchain trial

HM Land Registry’s blockchain project is part of a wider digital transformation initiative which aims to simplify and speed up the process of buying and selling property Continue Reading
News 17 Apr 2019

Middle East CIOs optimistic as budgets increase and digital transformations expand

Cyber security and risk management will see the biggest increase in spending, but digital transformation of businesses is a major driver of investment, survey shows Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2019

Home Office curbs bulk emails following data breach

Department has introduced new rules for mass messaging after exposing email addresses of EU settled status scheme applicants Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2019

Findings published from three-month pilot for NHS App

Biometric login functionality and additional repeat prescription ordering capability are among the enhancements made in response to user feedback to the NHS App Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2019

Dutch national weather service adopts cloud to expand service offerings

The migration of legacy systems to an AWS set-up will precede the design of a real-time early warning centre for the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Continue Reading
News 15 Apr 2019

Post-Brexit IT talent shortages concern UK CIOs

Finding and training tech staff remains an issue and is set to get worse after the UK leaves the European Union, says Barclaycard study Continue Reading
News 15 Apr 2019

NHS launches care home availability portal

New tool is aimed at optimising hospital occupancy and saving social care staff “hours of phoning around” Continue Reading
Feature 12 Apr 2019

How botnets pose a threat to the IoT ecosystem

While connected devices are transforming our personal and working lives in a multitude of ways, they are also a growing security risk – attackers are hijacking these devices and turning them into internet of things botnets Continue Reading
News 12 Apr 2019

UK government launches cloud sustainability probe

Government departments are being asked to provide information about the energy footprint of the cloud services they use Continue Reading
News 12 Apr 2019

Lancaster University enhances student engagement with cloud-based chatbot

University is using Amazon Web Services to enhance the development of a voice-enabled “online companion” with machine learning and artificial intelligence Continue Reading
News 11 Apr 2019

European Commission tackles transformation challenges with cloud

Modernisation plan continues at the EC, with an upcoming migration and major savings on the horizon Continue Reading
Feature 11 Apr 2019

Competitive threats: What the growth in new public sector cloud frameworks means for G-Cloud

Public sector IT buyers may soon find themselves spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding where to procure their cloud services, thanks to the emergence of several new frameworks, but where does that leave G-Cloud? Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2019

EC publishes artificial intelligence guidelines

Report is intended as a starting point of an international discussion around trustworthy AI and its recommendations will be put to the test in a trial later this year Continue Reading
News 08 Apr 2019

UK introduces world’s first online safety regulations

Announcing ‘the end of online self-regulation’, a duty of care is introduced to hold companies accountable for potential harm and safety of users of their services Continue Reading
News 05 Apr 2019

NHS IT jobs need to be promoted differently

More ambition and a mindset change is required to attract more technology talent to the national health service Continue Reading
News 04 Apr 2019

Social inclusion unit aims to expand diversity in IT conversation

New unit at startup hub wants to explore how technology can be applied to address the barriers many people face in participating in society Continue Reading
News 04 Apr 2019

NHSX announces new leadership

DCMS director-general Matthew Gould is to take over as chief executive of the NHSX, with recruitment set to accelerate at the newly formed digital strategy unit Continue Reading
News 03 Apr 2019

Home Office Brexit app will work on Apple devices

An agreement has been reached to make the app for EU nationals to apply for settlement in the UK work on iOS-based products Continue Reading
News 03 Apr 2019

MI5 and the Met ramp up use of analytics to tackle terrorism

Police and intelligence organisations are working on technologies that will help “sharpen radars” around detecting terrorist intents Continue Reading
News 03 Apr 2019

Most business decision-makers and knowledge workers happy to work alongside robots

Fears that automation will remove jobs for knowledge workers are reducing as opportunities emerge to upskill and eradicate mundane work Continue Reading
News 02 Apr 2019

Government invests in knife-detection tech research

The Home Office and the Department for Transport are channelling more than £460,000 into fast-tracking the development and deployment of technologies that can detect concealed blades in public spaces Continue Reading
News 02 Apr 2019

SMEs forced into automation as Making Tax Digital goes live

Small businesses are faced with all manner of challenges as the government presses ahead with its plan to digitise the UK tax system Continue Reading
News 02 Apr 2019

Cyber attacks increasingly exploiting supply chain weaknesses

Cyber attacks are increasingly characterised by supply chain attacks, counter incident response and lateral movement, research reveals Continue Reading
Podcast 02 Apr 2019

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 10

In this week’s episode of The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team discusses Twitter spats, the long-running legal saga between HP and Mike Lynch, Asos’s retail tech strategy, G-Cloud 11 and how machine learning is shaking up the healthcare sector Continue Reading
News 01 Apr 2019

Digital industries lead UK economy

Technology, media and creative businesses are leading national economic growth, according to research Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2019

How research firm Icon is using analytics and wearables to enhance clinical trials

The company is investing in emergent technology to boost the attractiveness of trials as a care option and attract more participants, while enhancing internal efficiency around drug and device development. Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2019

Met Office seeks chief information security officer

The national weather service wants to recruit a new leader to spearhead a cyber security enhancement programme Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2019

Interview: Mark Gray, director of digital transformation, Crown Prosecution Service

The introduction of fully digital services to improve stakeholder engagement is among the highlights of a world-first transformation initiative in the criminal justice system Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2019

Swan lands in Scottish Highlands

Capita’s Scottish public sector network, also known as Swan, is to be extended to 150 sites in the Highland towns of Fort William, Inverness, Thurso and Wick Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2019

Encryption adoption driven by new tech and compliance

The adoption of encryption is at its highest level yet, driven by the need to protect data generated by new digital initiatives, but still less than half of organisations are applying it consistently across the enterprise Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2019

Businesses losing out on early payment discounts due to outdated software

Chief financial officers need to upgrade their accounting software to benefit from discounts available for paying suppliers early Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2019

Scottish government advances payments programme

Platform is intended to support outbound and inbound payments and could integrate Gov.UK Pay in Scotland Continue Reading
News 27 Mar 2019

Government expects NHS IT overhaul will unleash innovation

Common technical standards, modular contracts and a fintech-style regulatory model will underpin the new approach to technology in the health service in England Continue Reading
News 26 Mar 2019

Police algorithms should be regulated, says think tank

Better use and regulation of data-driven technologies should be the norm in UK policing, according to research Continue Reading
News 26 Mar 2019

Nominet urges SMEs to register .uk domains to thwart squatters

The automatic right of .co.uk domain name holders to register the shorter .uk domains ends in June Continue Reading
News 26 Mar 2019

Firms urged to gear up for new malware and tactics as threats proliferate

The volume of malware attacks reached a record level in 2018, with UK and India bucking global trend of increased ransomware attacks, a study shows Continue Reading
Feature 25 Mar 2019

EMIS Group CIO: Breaking down NHS patient data silos by going all-in on AWS

EMIS Group CIO Pete Malcolm is in the throes of a sizeable revamp of the healthcare provider's flagship software system for GPs that will see it go all-in on AWS, while addressing the government's push to make NHS data systems more open and interoperable Continue Reading
News 22 Mar 2019

All change: What can suppliers and IT buyers expect from G-Cloud 11?

The government is set to start accepting applications for the next iteration of G-Cloud from 25 March, but will it be more of the same or radical change for suppliers and public sector IT buyers this time around? Continue Reading
Opinion 22 Mar 2019

Getting it right this time: Why the strategy is not about delivery for NHSX

Government needs to move on from the mantras and beliefs that exist around digital and technology – the new NHSX organisation could set an example by transforming healthcare Continue Reading
News 20 Mar 2019

Government can make better use of tech to tackle loneliness

Report produced by Vodafone urges the government to exploit the potential of technology to alleviate loneliness among older people Continue Reading
News 19 Mar 2019

Salisbury to get ‘universal’ full-fibre broadband

Every residential and business property in Salisbury will be able to access full-fibre broadband in 12 months, claims Openreach Continue Reading
News 18 Mar 2019

UKCloud secures £25m investment to support multi-cloud public sector push

G-Cloud-listed IT services firm UKCloud has received a sizeable financial boost to support its efforts to cater to the differentiated demands of public sector technology buyers Continue Reading
News 14 Mar 2019

NHS Shared Business Services seeks suppliers for £500m cloud procurement framework

NHS Shared Business Services is seeking suppliers for a four-year procurement framework designed to streamline how public sector organisations source cloud services Continue Reading
News 13 Mar 2019

Shetlands get broadband upgrade to support local NHS services

Shetland Islands Council is to receive £1.91m of funding to expand full-fibre broadband expansion to NHS sites on remote islands through the government’s Local Full-Fibre Networks initiative Continue Reading
Podcast 12 Mar 2019

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 7

In this week’s episode of The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team talks cyber attacks against the NHS, the everywoman in Tech Forum, 5G connected cows, and covers off the latest round of revelations about Facebook’s data processing procedures Continue Reading
News 07 Mar 2019

ICO head still in top three of DataIQ data leader list

The UK’s information commissioner remains in the top three data leaders after claiming top spot in 2018 in the DataIQ 100 list of most influential data leaders, but GDPR is not the only focus in the industry Continue Reading
Feature 01 Mar 2019

What are the CDN options for enterprises?

We look at how content delivery networks can give your organisation’s web presence a literal edge Continue Reading
News 25 Feb 2019

Nordic tech is increasing diversity but more needs to be done

The shortage of women in the boardroom is a problem in the Nordics, like other regions, but work in its tech sector means the future could be more promising Continue Reading
News 22 Feb 2019

Health Secretary Matt Hancock orders ban on use of pagers by NHS staff before end of 2021

Eradicating use of pagers will save the NHS £6.6m a year, as Health Secretary Matt Hancock outlines the next phase of his plan to modernise communication in the health service Continue Reading
News 20 Feb 2019

MWC 2019: 5G smartphones go live on Vodafone network

Vodafone has connected three 5G-enabled smartphones to a live network during trials in Spain Continue Reading
News 20 Feb 2019

NHS AI code launched to set rules of engagement for tech firms

The government says its code of conduct for the use of artificial intelligence and other data technologies in the NHS sets out the data privacy rules of the game for tech firms Continue Reading
News 19 Feb 2019

Health secretary Matt Hancock launches NHSX organisation to lead tech strategy

Central unit will bring together leadership in digital, data and technology to support NHS technology vision and Long-Term Plan Continue Reading
Podcast 19 Feb 2019

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 4

In this week’s episode of The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team covers Matt Hancock’s bid to get the NHS to embrace email, the government’s push to extend IR35 to the private sector, and how technology can transform staff training Continue Reading
Blog Post 15 Feb 2019

NHS takes a small digital step into the 21st century - with bigger ones to come

Here is our quote of the week: “We spend £8m a year on paper. We spend £2m a year on envelopes. We can save lives, save staff time and cut costs by using an extraordinary piece of technology that ... Continue Reading
Opinion 15 Feb 2019

Making the move to cloud work for you

Getting the best out of a move to the cloud means getting the size right, turning off what you don’t need, smart purchasing and continuously decluttering your new environment Continue Reading
News 13 Feb 2019

Chinese AI startup claims breakthrough in pediatric diagnosis

Yitu Healthcare claims over 90% accuracy when diagnosing a range of pediatric diseases using a natural language processing system Continue Reading
News 13 Feb 2019

NHS must use email by default, says health secretary Matt Hancock

Secretary of state for health and social care criticises NHS staff who insist on only sending letters to patients, and says modern, secure communications will save lives Continue Reading
News 12 Feb 2019

Chesterfield NHS trust consolidates 30 data management systems into one with Civica

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust aims to become a paperless organisation by 2020 Continue Reading
News 12 Feb 2019

IR35 reforms: Contractors lack confidence in private sector to manage April 2020 rule change

Research from IR35 consultancy Qdos suggests contractors lack confidence in the ability of private sector firms to adequately determine how they should be taxed after April 2020 Continue Reading
News 12 Feb 2019

Dutch developer offers businesses nuclear security option for communications

Startup that created the secure platform for communication between world leaders at the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands seeks to revolutionise business mail Continue Reading
News 11 Feb 2019

AI and robotics to form part of curriculum for future medical students

For the NHS to capitalise on the digital future, new technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics will have to be designed into the learning process for medical students Continue Reading
News 08 Feb 2019

NHS extends trials of digital identity system

The NHS in England is working with external organisations in new pilots to test its secure online login system for healthcare Continue Reading
News 07 Feb 2019

Nordic region primed to pioneer 5G

The Nordic region could pioneer the commercial use of 5G, with Finland and Sweden hotbeds for the technology Continue Reading
News 06 Feb 2019

CIO interview: David Walliker, Liverpool Women’s & Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen NHS Trusts

Being CIO for two different NHS trusts is not an easy task, but David Walliker splits his time between the two, aiming to deliver digital transformation across the board Continue Reading
News 06 Feb 2019

NHS screening programmes plagued by ‘not fit for purpose’ IT

‘Complex and ageing IT’ is causing issues for several NHS screening programmes, according to the National Audit Office Continue Reading
News 06 Feb 2019

Suffolk County Council awards 20-year WAN contract

MLL Telecom will work with CityFibre to extend Suffolk County Council’s existing WAN to 600 sites and offer them ultrafast connectivity services Continue Reading
News 06 Feb 2019

UK’s IT and BPO spend plummets because of Brexit uncertainty

UK businesses cut their investment in IT and business process outsourcing last year because of confusion over Brexit, but there was a 68% rise in public sector spending Continue Reading
E-Zine 05 Feb 2019

Technologies to support deep learning

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the key technologies needed to support deep learning and artificial intelligence applications in your organisation. We hear about Southern Water’s data management overhaul and the benefits achieved from centralising its data specialists. And we examine best practice in managing large-scale Docker implementations. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 04 Feb 2019

Government restates SME spend commitment as large suppliers win more cloud hosting deals

An analysis of the G-Cloud and Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) framework sales figures suggests proportion of cloud hosting deals going to big suppliers is continuing to rise Continue Reading
News 29 Jan 2019

Global cyber attack could cost up to $193bn, study shows

A coordinated global cyber attack could have an economic impact of up to $193bn, an insurance industry-backed report claims Continue Reading
News 29 Jan 2019

IT leaders grapple with workforce skills gap as they deploy AI and digital technology

Organisations will have to find new ways of reskilling their workforce as they get to grips with artificial intelligence and other digital technologies. CIOs also need to keep their skills updated if they are to succeed Continue Reading
News 28 Jan 2019

UK IT spending worth £27bn held back due to Brexit uncertainty

UK businesses are putting billions of pounds of IT investments on hold until they know the terms that the UK will leave the EU Continue Reading
News 24 Jan 2019

Emergency services organisations ranked slowest public sector cloud adopters in Eduserv poll

Latest research from EduServ and Socitm into public sector cloud adoption trends reveals slow response to cloud calls from the emergency services sector Continue Reading
News 23 Jan 2019

NHS England launches public roll-out of NHS App

The all singing and dancing NHS App is now being rolled out publicly across England following a private beta phase with more than 3,000 patients Continue Reading
News 22 Jan 2019

IBM mobile cyber range starts European tour in London

IBM’s mobile cyber range is kicking of a tour in London to raise awareness around the need for tried and tested cyber attack responses among organisations in Europe Continue Reading
News 22 Jan 2019

Young Dutch cyber criminals get re-education rather than jail time

Young hackers in the Netherlands are being rehabilitated through punishments that educate rather than incarcerate Continue Reading
News 21 Jan 2019

South West Yorkshire NHS Trust deploys clinical portal

NHS trust’s new clinical portal aims to speed up access to patient information by allowing clinicians to access data from eight different IT systems Continue Reading
News 17 Jan 2019

Vodafone and IBM prep user clouds for future network tech

Companies expand existing collaboration to enable enterprise customers to prepare for the impact of advanced networking technologies Continue Reading
News 17 Jan 2019

UK tech firms favour second referendum as next move in Brexit stalemate

UK tech firms want to remain as close to the EU as possible and believe a second referendum on membership of the trading bloc would be the best way out of the current political stalemate Continue Reading
Blog Post 15 Jan 2019

Another one bites the dust: Bauer’s departure from NHS England highlights public sector-wide issue

NHS England’s chief digital officer (CDO) jumping ship to join the private sector is the latest example of one of the key issues facing digital and technology projects across the public sector, ... Continue Reading
News 15 Jan 2019

NHS England chief digital officer Juliet Bauer leaves to work for a supplier

NHS England’s chief digital officer is jumping ship, just as the NHS begins implementing its long-term plan, to join Swedish GP video consultation provider Livi Continue Reading
E-Zine 15 Jan 2019

NHS plans for a digital future

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the NHS Long-Term Plan and examine how it intends to transform UK healthcare for a digital age over the next 10 years. We analyse the latest chip developments from Intel and AMD to see what will change in the datacentre in 2019. And we ask the experts if cloud giant Amazon Web Services can continue its impressive growth trajectory. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
Blog Post 11 Jan 2019

A big dose of digital for the NHS

There’s been a lot of excitement over the new NHS Long Term Plan. The plan sets out how the NHS will spend the extra £20.5bn a year, gifted to the health service by prime minister Theresa May as a ... Continue Reading
News 11 Jan 2019

CIO interview: Darren Curry, CDO, NHS Business Services Authority

NHS Business Services Authority chief digital officer Darren Curry talks about using technology to change people’s lives, developing accessible services and transforming the health service Continue Reading
News 11 Jan 2019

Microsoft takes community approach to artificial intelligence in Sweden

Microsoft is making increasing use of artificial intelligence in Sweden as it shares experiences with the development community Continue Reading
News 10 Jan 2019

UK firms say £6.6bn annual security testing cost too high

Avord launches platform to reduce the multibillion-pound annual cyber security testing cost that most UK firms say is too high Continue Reading
News 10 Jan 2019

Enterprises are increasing the human workforce while deploying AI

Artificial intelligence is creating more jobs than it replaces, according to a study of businesses using the technology Continue Reading
News 10 Jan 2019

Fife Council upgrades WAN to offer ultrafast broadband services

Public sector sites across Fife in Scotland are to receive a transformational upgrade to their broadband speeds Continue Reading
News 09 Jan 2019

NHS Digital chief information security officer resigns

Robert Coles, who joined NHS Digital as its chief information and security officer in October 2018, is stepping down from the role for personal reasons Continue Reading
News 08 Jan 2019

A very digital plan for the NHS

The NHS Long Term Plan aims to empower people through the use of technology and create a digital-first NHS, offering virtual outpatient appointments, digital GP consultations and improved cyber security. But how and when will the government achieve this? Continue Reading
E-Zine 08 Jan 2019

Technology innovation in music

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we visit the first hackathon at Abbey Road Studios, once home to The Beatles, to find out how tech startups hope to revolutionise music creation. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the technologies and benefits of perimeterless network security. And we look ahead to the key CIO skills and jobs trends for 2019. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 08 Jan 2019

AWS secures cloud hosting role in UK government Crown Marketplace programme

Amazon Web Services’ cloud platform to play key role in how public sector organisations procure common goods and services Continue Reading
News 07 Jan 2019

NHS Long-Term Plan to bring health service into the digital age

The long-term plan to transform the NHS by using Theresa May’s £20.5bn-a-year birthday present promises use of artificial intelligence, genomic testing and digital GP appointments for all Continue Reading
News 03 Jan 2019

Hancock promises GP IT overhaul

New £450m framework will “shake up” primary care IT by getting rid of old systems, using new standards and exploring moving patient data to the cloud, says health secretary Continue Reading
News 02 Jan 2019

Guide dogs not fazed by self-driving robots

Robotics startup Starship Technologies and charity Guide Dogs are collaborating on a series of tests exploring how service animals interact with robots Continue Reading
News 02 Jan 2019

Nordic digital transformation driven by traditional businesses

More traditional Nordic businesses are fuelling the region's digital transformation, finds report Continue Reading
News 02 Jan 2019

SMEs urged to get on board with Network Services 2 framework

Suppliers have until the end of January 2019 to sign up to the new government network services purchasing framework Continue Reading
Opinion 31 Dec 2018

Can we live without passwords?

Can you imagine a future in which we can be secure online without having to remember an unwieldly list of passwords? Solutions are emerging that could make passwords redundant, but there will be other security problems to resolve Continue Reading
News 28 Dec 2018

Top 10 HR technology stories of 2018

Companies are turning to artificial intelligence, robotic automation and chatbots to take the drudgery out of human resource management Continue Reading