Background : Tories would decentralise state information, says David Cameron, 4 April 2008

Tory leader David Cameron has said that the Conservatives would avoid large-scale central IT systems such as the NHS National Programme for IT.

Cameron also praised open-source development, saying it would help smaller companies grow.

“We will follow private sector best practice which is to introduce open standards that enables IT contracts to be split up into modular components," he said.

(read more)

Background : NHS to trial Sun's Linux desktop, 17 December 2003

NHS IT Director General Richard Granger has ordered a trial of Sun Microsystems' Linux-based Java Desktop system as part of the NPfIT.

(read more)

Background : Novell to Provide Security, Systems Management and Linux to United Kingdom's National Health Service, 2 December 2005

Novell today announced a £21.8 million ($39 million) contract with the United Kingdom's leading Department of Health agency for a comprehensive set of security, management and infrastructure solutions that will improve delivery of health services to UK citizens. The three year agreement with the National Health Service (NHS) Connecting for Health program lets NHS leverage Novell® solutions across the entire NHS infrastructure, comprising upwards of 600,000 workstations, and will result in substantial cost savings for the NHS. As a strategic partner, Novell will help the NHS deliver its National Programme for IT, improving patient care and services and transforming the way the NHS works.

(read more)