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Unite Calls for Government Decision to Save 700 Fujitsu Redundancies on GBP13bn NHS IT Contract
LONDON, June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Unite, the UK's largest union, is today calling for the government to act quickly and decisively to safeguard the jobs and skills of up to 1000 people presently working on the GBP12.7bn NHS IT contract for the IT services company Fujitsu. Fujitsu has today announced the potential redundancy of nearly 700 people working on the NHS contract, and follows the decisions of Fujitsu to withdraw from contract negotiations and termination of the GBP1.1bn contract share for the south of England announced two weeks ago. Currently there are nearly 1000 people in Fujitsu working on the NHS IT contract and related activities to modernise IT systems, provide electronic patient records and quick and easy access to information and test results. Senior Executives from the NHS and Fujitsu appeared before the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on Monday 16 June to provide a progress update on the computerisation contract, the largest ever civilian IT contract. Peter Skyte, Unite National Officer, said: "The Government must make a quick decision to end the present uncertainty and insecurity for the highly skilled IT people working on the NHS contract for Fujitsu. "Government must act to ensure that the knowledge and skills gained in working for Fujitsu are retained, whoever the provider or providers are in the future, and ensure that the skilled staff can help the project continue to a successful conclusion in the interests of patients, the NHS and the health of the nation" Senior Executives from the NHS and Fujitsu appeared before the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on Monday 16 June to provide a progress update on the computerisation contract, the largest ever civilian IT contract.
