NHS strikes £60m deal for online health portal

The NHS has struck a £60m deal to provide an online health portal for patients.

Outsourcing company Capita Group has won a three-year contract to develop and maintain NHS Choices, the round-up of all NHS health and social care.

All services previously available on NHS Direct are now available at NHS Choices, with the site offering hospital comparisons, NHS guides to long-term conditions, video and written explanations for more than 700 conditions and treatments, a self help guide and a health encyclopedia.

The NHS claims that it will mean it has "one of the most comprehensive online health information services in the world".

Health minister Ben Bradshaw said in a statement: "This single site will make it easier for the public to find reliable health information quickly and will give relevant and accurate advice."