A senior NHS England director and former director at outsourcing giant Capita has been made senior responsible officer for the NHS Choices programme.

Beverley Bryant, NHS England’s director of strategic systems and technology, was the web portal’s senior responsible officer at its inception, and oversaw the site’s ‘go-live’ in 2007, while chief information officer at the DH.

The site, designed to help give patients more choice and information about their care, was first operated by Dr Foster Intelligence, which held the contract to develop the site as a ‘delivery partner’ from 2007 to 2009.

A re-launched version of the website, to be procured next spring, is set to include new services such as the ability to allow patients to book GP appointments and repeat prescriptions.

Ms Bryant was managing director of Capita Health between 2010 and 2012. The company held the contract to run NHS Choices from 2009 to 2013.

The running of NHS Choices was transferred to the Health and Social Care Information Centre in April last year, after the Cabinet Office ordered the DH not to grant Capita any further extension to its contract for the service, as had previously been an option.

There is no suggestion the decision not to extend Capita’s contract is related to performance on NHS Choices.

An NHS England spokeswoman confirmed Ms Bryant’s appointment, effective from 1 April.

 

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