A systems perspective on computing in the NHS

Abstract

There has been a long history of poor performance of large-scale computing systems, particularly those associated with government departments and public services. There does not appear to be any real improvement in delivery, which suggests that at least one cause of failure remains undetected. The paper argues that this cause may be the way that all involved (clients, service providers, programmers and civil servants) think about the project and associated processes. By contrasting traditional and systems modes of thinking, several problem areas are identified. The ways in which adopting a systems approach might avoid these difficulties is also discussed.

Keywords

• computing systems
• delivery
• modes of thinking