Healthcare IT experts support Milburn's cabinet appointment

Healthcare IT vendors have welcomed the appointment of Alan Milburn as Secretary of State for Health following Tony Blair's cabinet reshuffle on Monday.

Roger Wallhouse, founder of Health Systems Solutions, said it's likely Milburn will put his weight behind the existing modernisation campaigns going on in the NHS.

He added that Alan Milburn's experience in PFI (Private Finance Initiative) projects will be particularly useful in reviewing the healthcare procurement process. "He comes to the department of health with an understanding of the nuances and complications currently strangling the PFI process and therefore will be sympathetic to any measures that will free it up", he said.

Phil Ryan from network management specialists, Peapod, said the move reflects political will from the very top to spur on IT development in the healthcare sector.

"Tony Blair has displayed a distinct personal interest in NHS reform and, perhaps, he feels that a new Secretary of State with a proven history in health issues will speed up the process." Ryan continued: "It will be interesting to see how the NHS reforms develop under Mr Milburn."