Press Release

Unite calls for government decision to save jobs and skills on £13bn NHS IT contract

16 June 2008

Unite, the UK’s largest union, is today, in advance of a Parliamentary Inquiry, calling for the government to act to safeguard the jobs and skills of up to 1,000 people working on the £12.7bn NHS IT contract for the IT services company Fujitsu.

This follows the decisions of Fujitsu to withdraw from contract negotiations and termination of the £1.1bn contract share for the south of England announced two weeks ago.

There are currently nearly 1,000 people in Fujitsu working on the NHS IT contract and related activities to modernise IT systems, provide electronic patient records and quick and easy access to information and test results.

NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson and Chief Operating Officer Gordon Hextall are due to appear before the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on Monday 16th June to provide a progress update on the computerisation contract, the largest ever civilian IT contract.

Peter Skyte, Unite National Officer, said: “We want the Public Accounts Committee at its hearing on Monday to press the Government to make a quick decision to end the present uncertainty and insecurity for the highly skilled IT people working on the NHS contract for Fujitsu.

“Government must act to ensure that the knowledge and skills gained in working for Fujitsu are retained, whoever the provider or providers in the future, and ensure that the skilled staff can help the project continue to a successful conclusion in the interests of patients, the NHS and the health of the nation.”