HSC has regained control of its largest IT project, Brouard insists
Health president Al Brouard has insisted that his committee has regained control of its largest IT project.
He defended the oversight of a new electronic system for patients’ records, which is running late and expected to go millions of pounds over budget.
‘Oversight of the programme is provided by the electronic patient record programme governance board, which includes a political member, senior HSC officers, senior clinicians, and senior representatives from IT and finance,’ said Deputy Brouard.
‘The programme staff regularly report updates, progress and risk to the board. The Health & Social Care Committee also receives regular updates, as do the senior leadership team through the portfolio delivery group.’
He provided a written briefing to States members after Deputy Adrian Gabriel asked HSC to explain how it was managing the project, after having to admit earlier this year that it was likely to cost about £5m. more than expected.
Deputy Gabriel said he wanted to understand how such an overspend came about ‘at a time when budgets are under focus’ and how HSC would ‘prevent any further resource complexities’.
Deputy Brouard confirmed that a cost overrun was still expected, although most of the allocated budget has not yet been spent.
‘The programme is not currently overspent, with less than 50% of the currently authorised £17.3m. funds expended to date,’ he said.
‘However, in August 2024, following a thorough review of the remaining work, plans and cost, the forecast was revised to £22.2m. due to a number of factors.
‘This is a very complex programme and it has taken more time to work through these complexities than anticipated.
‘There have been additional pressures, such as difficulty in staffing the programme and timely delivery by some suppliers. This is against a backdrop of needing to ensure the new electronic patient record is thoroughly tested, safe and fit for purpose.’
When the project was initially approved by the previous States, in May 2020, it had an indicative budget of up to £20m., but during the current States it was reduced to £17.3m., which Deputy Brouard has said was done ‘on best advice at the time’.
HSC has been hit by a series of setbacks to major capital projects in recent months.
Last summer it announced it was delaying opening the first phase of a redevelopment of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
Earlier this year, the Guernsey Press uncovered that the estimated cost of the second phase of the PEH redevelopment had escalated from £120m. to £150m., and Deputy Brouard then revealed that officers had concealed the soaring costs from his committee for nearly a year.
Then his committee itself failed to inform the Policy & Resources Committee for several weeks afterwards.
