Technical Review ToR
From Nhs It Info
Outline Terms of Reference
(Sent 14 May 2004)
The Review should be pragmatic and constructive, and is intended to assist the NHS to achieve its overall aims. As a contribution to establishing confidence in both NPfIT and in the review itself, the review will be an open one. The final report and any interim reports will be published, and evidence given to the review will be made publicly available as far as possible. The review will be guided by an international expert advisory board. The review will undertake the following tasks.
1. Determine the detailed specifications that presently define the technical goals of the NPfIT systems, and examine the processes through which these specifications have been shown to meet the needs of all the users of the systems.
2. Consider the architectural approach that has been adopted to meet these specifications, in particular regarding the decisions made concerning centralised versus federated approaches to system construction, and the replacement or reuse of existing applications.
3. Assess the mechanisms used to control system evolution and manage change, assess the gap remaining between user requirements and system specification, and establish whether the rate of specification change is increasing or decreasing.
4. Assess whether the detailed technical architecture and application designs will deliver systems that match both the required functional aspects of those specifications and the required dependability aspects (safety, privacy, availability, reliability, accuracy, performance, usability, fault tolerance, and modifiability); if appropriate suggest necessary improvements.
5. Review the programme's plans and budgets to assess whether appropriate resources are available for development, process prototyping, pilot studies, modifications, interfacing with existing systems, roll-out, training, data cleansing and maintenance.
6. Review NPfIT risk management and consult with stakeholders to uncover major obstacles that could jeopardise the successful implementation of the new system and associated work practices; where appropriate, suggest possible ways to overcome these obstacles.
Notes
1. The Review should encompass the work of both National and Local Service Providers.
2. In order to perform its functions, the review team should have access to all information available to the Secretary of State.
3. It shall include a formal public consultation conducted under Cabinet Office guidelines.
