AQW 32921/22-27


Mr David Honeyford
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley


Tabled Date: 07/10/2025
Answered On Date: 30/10/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for a breakdown of the £2.5 billion spent on IT, in the three financial years to 2024-25.


Answer:
The Northern Ireland Audit Office published a report on “Major IT projects in Northern Ireland” on 4th July 2025. Appendix 2 of the report summarises Major IT programmes and projects in excess of £25million (whole life cost) ongoing from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025. The section relating to Department of Health shows the following:
Major IT Project
Original expiration date of legacy contract
OBC
Total estimated costs
£million
FBC
Total estimated costs
£million
Actual / latest total estimated costs
£million
Increase/ (decrease) estimated costs from OBC
£million
Northern Ireland Picture Archiving and Communication System
Sep-18
136.5
130.4
130.4
(6.1)
Northern Ireland Digital Identity Service
Sep-21
38.2
38.1
39.3
1.1
Encompass
See Case Study 1
Multiple contracts
982.5
1,950.0
1,930.0
947.5
Equip Programme
Oct-21
145.1
218.2
218.2
73.1
Core Laboratory Information Management System
Replaces 7 existing systems
44.0
44.0
57.8
13.8
Regional Blood Production and Tracking Solution
Jun-23
36.0
38.9
38.9
2.9
ePharmacy Project 1 - GoPharmacy NI
Note: OBC not yet submitted, figures are estimated.
19.4
19.4
19.4
-
ePharmacy Project 2 - Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions
Note: OBC not yet submitted, figures are estimated.
38.4
38.4
38.4
-
Total
1,440.1
2,477.4
2,472.4
1,032.3
Major IT Project
Implementation completion date
Stage project currently at
Latest project highlight report RAG status
Northern Ireland Picture Archiving and Communication System
Dec-25
Implementation
Green
Northern Ireland Digital Identity Service
Mar-26
Implementation
Green
Encompass
See Case Study 1
Sep-27
Implementation
Green
Equip Programme
Sep-26
Implementation
Red
Core Laboratory Information Management System
Mar-26
Implementation
Amber
Regional Blood Production and Tracking Solution
Sep-27
Implementation
Green
ePharmacy Project 1 - GoPharmacy NI
Note: OBC not yet submitted, figures are estimated.
Subject to funding
Initiation
Amber
ePharmacy Project 2 - Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions
Note: OBC not yet submitted, figures are estimated.
Subject to funding
Initiation
Amber
Major IT programmes and projects (in excess of £25million whole life cost) ongoing from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025 in Department of Health
The 8 major Department of Health digital initiatives listed in the report have full life commitments of £2.477 billion. It should be noted that expenditure on the ePharmacy initiative is indicative as this has not yet been funded or approved.