I have finally managed to get some time to do my homework on the...

I have finally managed to get some time to do my homework on the NHS IT program.

From the original four IT providers contracted, CSC(Isoft) and BT are the only two which remain...

Furthermore it is interesting to note that BT (Isoft/CSC's) only remaining competitor has had a total of 71 serious BoC versus CSC's 41 Boc.

http://www.cio.co.uk/news/3218845/nhs-contractors-failing-to-hit-project-milestones/

BT's Rio program (the Lorenzo counterpart) seems to actually be quite unstable with a serious system malfunction requiring the whole platform to be taken offline only last year:

http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/4839/rio_upgrades_suspended_in_london

http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/4941/london_rio_upgrades_remain_on_hold

http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/5082/london_carnival_on_hold_for_rio

Nothing is certain, but provided that NHS IT program continues to go ahead (and is not scrapped altogether due to budget cuts) I think Isoft will stand to profit greatly in the near future.

It seems the biggest hurdle was that service providers had to provide proof of a working system before receiving payment (resulting in large upfront costs/risks beings placed on the participant providers).

The implementation of Lorenzo Live means that for all intents and purposes this hurdle was achieved (provided there are no serious issues in the foreseeable future).

While there still obviously remains the uncertainty with regards to payments I believe the UK Government, DoH, BT and Isoft have invested too much over the last five years to let the program go down the drain... especially considering how close they are to completion.

Once a stable working version of Lorenzo has been established the remainder of the program will become a roll-out exercise for all intents and purposes and it seems very much downhill from there...

Just my thoughts anyway... be aware I have little/no experience with regards to the IT sector.