£8m Microsoft savings targeted by Scottish NHS

New volume deal covers 75,000 desktops...

Hospitals in Scotland are aiming to save up to £8m over the next three years with a new volume licensing deal with Microsoft.

The deal between NHS Scotland and Microsoft covers operating system and software licences across 75,000 PCs in hospitals and GP surgeries.

NHS Scotland will also benefit from volume licensing discounts through the Office of Government Commerce's framework deal with Microsoft for almost one million licences across the NHS in England.

Scotland's Microsoft deal is a three-year enterprise agreement and includes licences for Windows Office 2003 Professional and Enterprise edition, upgrades to Windows XP Professional and client access licences.

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Ron Anderson, director of information management and technology at NHS National Services Scotland, told silicon.com the deal should save between £3m and £8m over three years by providing a countrywide standard procurement agreement for Microsoft licences.

He said: "It's part of the modernisation agenda and it's about saving money."

Professor Stuart Bain, CEO of NHS National Services Scotland, added in a statement: "We see this agreement as a key building block in realising a modern, integrated and efficient health service. The development of advanced patient information systems coupled with time and cost savings will mean more resources can be directed towards patient care."

Microsoft gold partner Trustmarque Solutions is the appointed software reseller for NHS Scotland under the agreement.