Microsoft Signs Enterprise Agreement With NHS

Added: (Wed Oct 24 2001)

Pressbox (Press Release) - 11.10.01 pr26/NHS EA

MICROSOFT SIGNS ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT WITH NHS TO PROVIDE NATIONWIDE COST-SAVING FUTURE
- central licensing agreement rationalises procurement and provides foundation for modern IT infrastructure –

Microsoft has announced the completion of a central licensing arrangement – the Enterprise Agreement - with the NHS, which means it will provide the latest versions of software licenses for core Microsoft products across all PCs in England’s NHS organisations. This agreement represents a significant milestone for the NHS, restructuring its purchasing processes to be more efficient and cost-effective. This will not only result in significant cost-savings, but will also lay the foundations for a modern IT infrastructure that will ultimately improve patient care.

Commenting on the contract, Michael Meakin of the North & Mid Hampshire Health Authority stated: “The significant growth in the purchasing of Microsoft products over the last few years indicated that the NHS at a local level had taken its own decisions on what software it wanted to use. What the NHS has done is to respond to this demand by reducing the bureaucracy and administration and thus providing much better value for money.”

The contract between the NHS and Microsoft is a three-year agreement, based on a subscription model. A single annual transaction will replace many thousands of transactions between the NHS and Microsoft in previous years and means that local NHS organisations will no longer need to order licenses for any of the products under the agreement.

This contract will deliver huge benefits to the NHS. Because the contract has been made centrally, the NHS has obtained a substantially better price for Microsoft products than was previously available. This also represents the first time ever that NHS organisations will all be licensed to use the same version of software, not only reducing support and management overheads, but also ensuring that all staff are able to be fully trained on the latest versions of the most reliable software. As a result, this agreement will enable a speedier progression towards the connectivity targets outlined in the Government’s Information for Health strategy.

Jenny Duff, Industry Manager for Public Sector, Microsoft Ltd commented: “The overall target for the NHS is to improve the delivery of patient care. Integrated, streamlined IT systems form a solid foundation to achieve this goal, by ensuring that NHS professionals are empowered with the right information at the right time, to make the best possible decisions. Microsoft products provide a high level of functionality at commodity price levels, providing the NHS with a cost-effective IT infrastructure on which to build its modernisation plans.”

Microsoft products provided within the agreement include:
· Office Professional XP
o Word 2002; Excel 2002; PowerPoint 2002; Access 2002; FrontPage 2002; Outlook 2002 and all new releases of these products as they become available
· Upgrade to Windows 2000 Professional, including Internet Explorer Browser and Windows XP as it is released
· Back Office Client Access License (CAL)
o Windows 2000 CAL; Exchange 2000 CAL; SQL 2000 CAL and SMS (Systems Management Server) CAL

The nationwide deal encompasses all NHS organisations throughout England, including Primary Care Groups and Trusts, Acute, Community and Mental Health Trusts, Health Authorities and Special Health Authorities. NHS organisations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Department of Health and its associated agencies are not currently included in the agreement, though they will be offered the opportunity to enrol.

Sir John Pattison, Director of NHS Information commented: "I am very pleased to welcome the new software licensing deal between the NHS and Microsoft Ltd. This will help NHS staff to deliver a higher quality of patient care by making IT support quicker and easier to use. The NHS Enterprise Agreement provides all the benefits of an annual subscription whilst reducing administrative costs by replacing tens of thousands of orders with a single transaction. This agreement represents a partnership that not only delivers improved value for the NHS but will give staff access to the most up-to-date version of software programmes enabling much quicker progress towards the modernisation of the NHS."

The Enterprise Agreement does not represent an exclusive contract between Microsoft and the NHS, which means that individual NHS organisations retain their right to choose their software solutions. Other similar agreements are likely to be announced with additional suppliers in the near future.

Individual users within the NHS should note that there are plans in place to deliver desktop services to staff across the NHS, and that they should contact their local IM&T department to understand when and how they will get access to the software included in this agreement.

Ends

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.

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