NHS IT managers need to prep for the end of a key National Programme for IT service, the N3 health service-wide network, says supplier Updata in a new white paper that outlines what both network suppliers and NHS organisations must do to take advantage of N3’s successor, the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN). “The N3 contract will end in just six months, yet many NHS organisations are still to begin their search for a new provider, with many seemingly unaware of the choice that will soon become available,” points out the firm’s MD, Béatrice Butsana-Sita. “With the potential for a rush on suppliers as the March 2017 deadline approaches, healthcare providers should start looking at the marketplace now to avoid getting trapped in delays caused by supplier demand.” The firm has provided a guide to the main ideas behind HSCN (see comparison tables below), with the full report available here.
