Government freezes NHS Microsoft spend

The NHS has been told to halt all but emergency purchases of Microsoft software whilst the coalition negotiates a pan-government deal with the supplier. According to our old friend Paul Kunert at The Register, leaked memos show that Crown Representative, and former Micro Focus CEO, Stephen Kelly, wrote to Trusts in mid-June asking them to “refrain from non-business critical spend with Microsoft” whilst a new commercial arrangement is put in place which is intended to provide “better commercial terms, reduced cost and greater flexibility”. Subscribers to our PublicSectorViews research stream can read more on UKHotViewsExtra.