NHS National Services Scotland, the procurement agency for NHS Scotland, awarded a three year contract to BT for the supplying a new telephone network system for the service. This includes all lines, exchanges, contact centres, calls and maintenance for all the Scottish Health Boards.
The service had previously been supplied by Cable and Wireless, a rival company to BT.
The European Commission has received a complaint over the award of the £30 million contract. The Scottish Government has confirmed that an EC investigation will take place and has, at the same time, reassured the public that this will not mean any disruption to any part of NHS Scotland’s telephone system.
For legal reasons no information can be given on the identity of the complainant, the nature of the complaint or the type of possible outcomes of the investigation.
BT had already been awarded a multi-million contract to provide a broadband service to NHS Scotland, including hospitals, clinics, GP surgeries and pharmacies.
In 2001 it was awarded a £20 million ten-year contract to link Scotland to the NHS 24 phone advice service.
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