The Tony Collins Blog
Tony Collins
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Tony Collins is an investigative and campaigning journalist and former Executive Editor at Computer Weekly. With his friend and colleague David Bicknell he wrote "Crash", which found common factors in the world's largest public and private sector IT-related failures. He wrote "Open Verdict", a book on the strange deaths of defence scientists. He writes, and gives talks, on the tensions and disputes between suppliers and users.
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Words and phrases the IT industry over-uses
"Going forward", "paradigm shift" and "no-brainer" are to be avoided - but could the IT industry survive without them?
by Tony Collins
The 100 top words and phrases to avoid, according to John Rentoul, Chief Political Commentator for The Independent on Sunday. Here are some that are over-used in the IT industry:Learning curve. Raising awareness. Hearts and minds. Going forward. At this...
June 14, 2011 12:45 PM Read Full Post
Agile can fix failed Government IT says lawyer
Lawyer Susan Atkinson says government needs to change to gain agile benefits - and why wouldn't it given past disasters?
by Tony Collins
Commercial lawyer Susan Atkinson says that agile development is not an evangelical fad ill-suited to government IT. Her comments were prompted by a blog post in which lawyer, Alistair Maughan, said that "Agile simply won't work in the real world of government ICT". These are...
June 13, 2011 10:04 AM Read Full Post
Should winning bidders tell if they suspect a new contract is undeliverable?
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee asked an important question of BT and CSC over NPfIT contracts
by Tony Collins
At a hearing of the Public Accounts Committee on 23 May 2011, the chair Margaret Hodge asked why executives at BT and CSC signed NHS IT contracts that were “undeliverable”. In 2003 BT won contracts under the National Programme for...
June 8, 2011 10:29 AM Read Full Post
Inaccurate and incomplete records at the Royal Free Hampstead
Last week NPfIT minister Simon Burns praised record systems at the Royal Free Hampstead. How well was he briefed?
by Tony Collins
Anyone listening to the NPfIT minister Simon Burns on the BBC R4 “Today” programme last week could have been forgiven for believing that the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust has remarkably accurate, easy-to-use and pervasive electronic records.Burns said of the...
May 26, 2011 12:15 PM Read Full Post
Leaked memo reveals CSC's plans for new NHS IT deal
Memo warns that CSC's proposals will "roughly double" cost of NHS IT deployments
by Tony Collins
A leaked memo reveals that the Cabinet Office is concerned about the way the Department of Health is renegotiating £3.1bn worth of NHS IT contracts with US-based CSC. There is concern within the Cabinet Office that the Department will sign...
May 25, 2011 11:07 AM Read Full Post
Key lesson from the NPfIT
Listening to critics is critical to the success of big projects. But has this lesson been learnt?
by Tony Collins
A US doctor Scot Silverstein, who has an expertise in clinical IT design, says of the NAO report on the NPfIT that the initials should stand for: "National Programme of Failed IT”He says on the blog Health Care Renewal:"Perhaps the...
May 20, 2011 7:56 AM Read Full Post
Scrap failed NPfIT says Public Accounts MP
On BBC's "Today" programme Richard Bacon MP calls on ministers to scrap the NPfIT. But does NPfIT minister Simon Burns agree?
by Tony Collins
Conservative MP Richard Bacon, an established member of the Public Accounts Committee, says of today's NAO report on NPfIT care records systems :"It is perfectly clear that throwing more money at the problem will not work. This turkey will never...
May 18, 2011 10:28 AM Read Full Post
Some key points in today's National Audit Office report on the NPfIT
Main findings in today's NAO report on the NHS National Programme for IT care records systems
by Tony Collins
Below are some of the main points in today's NAO report on the NPfIT detailed care records systems. - Main aims of the NPfIT won’t be achieved - System deliveries to 3,197 NHS organisations are outstanding - Cuts have been made in the number...
May 18, 2011 9:57 AM Read Full Post
Review of NPfIT future starts next week
Two inquires next week will ask: should the NPfIT be continued in its current form?
by Tony Collins
A "cold hard look" at the future of the National Programme for IT will start next week, says Mark Davies of the National Audit Office.Davies and his colleagues at the NAO produced today's report "The National Programme for IT in...
May 18, 2011 7:55 AM Read Full Post
Health CIO Connelly at odds with PM over NPfIT value for money?
Christine Connelly and the PM have said different things on the NPfIT’s value for money
by Tony Collins
In September last year I asked Christine Connelly, the Health CIO, whether the £5.8bn spent so far on the National Programme for IT had been value for money. Her reply in defence of the NPfIT leaves me to wonder whether she...
May 16, 2011 2:00 PM Read Full Post
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