Many of you will be aware of the “cyber attack” that occurred a couple of weekends ago, which resulted in (amongst other things) a massive destruction in NHS services and parts of England. This is mostly because many of the IT systems are still running on an out dated Windows XP system, which does not have any support and needs upgraded.
You can argue this point left right and centre and say that its Microsoft’s fault for not supporting (I kind of agree with that) but it is the NSA and the united states fault for being hacked a loosing crucial data and programs from the systems. But this is a threat everyone has been aware of. Its absolutely clear and has been clear in my business.
This was brought to life in my business two years ago when we were advised that Microsoft was shutting down the support of XP and that we had to change across. We did, it cost a bomb, we had to pay for it as a cost of business.
The same applies for the NHS but the NHS is in a slightly different situation but ultimately the person at the head of the NHS is responsible for this and the head of the NHS is Jeremy Hunt.
Before I start an apolitical I do not follow any significant political party, but I am interested in the responsibility that politicians are suppose to hold.
Jeremy Hunt holds a position of extreme authority. He enjoys the position that he holds, that is clear. It was fascinating to watch his response to the crisis (massively delayed as he did not have any response to begin with). Which was to assure people that the NHS would be knocked into shape and would have its house in order within 10 months.
He has known about this for years and he has overseen the decrease in funding in the National Health Services as part of the conservatives nosterity process. He is responsible and should be held completely responsible.
That’s how it works in my business. I am entirely responsible for the IT set up in the practice and if the failure of that IT set up disadvantages patients I will brought to task and held to account. Why is it that the burden of responsibility is greater in a tiny meaningless business like mine than it is when you’re running the whole of the NHS in a lorded and highly privileged position at the top of government. We have the concept of responsibility completely wrong and we now have a situation (developing) were people in the highest levels of authority have no responsibility, no accountability and no disadvantage when things go wrong. (see the payments for CEO’s of FTSE 100 companies)
Blog Post Number - 1290