The current software used to store and access medical records in the Falklands is so outdated it needs Windows 7 to run.
Despite going out to tender for a third time, the Health and Medical Services Committee, sitting on Wednesday, was told no suitable bids for a replacement system were received.
Director of Health and Social Services John Woollacott said “local infrastructure limitations” were limiting the bids: “It (the tender) only allowed for a local server system. We need to change our approach so the project board will now be looking into a cloud-based system.”
Chair of the committee MLA Gavin Short said he is getting “increasingly worried” about this and asked “can our local internet supplier provide us with something?”
Mr Woollcott said they are working with the government IT department but ultimately they don’t have that kind of control in the health directorate.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Becky Edwards added it’s not only the EPR that’s an issue: “We have things that use AI through the cloud. This is the way medicine is moving and we are moving behind.”
As the tender package has already been made, Mr Woollacott said they can readvertise easily as only some changes are needed.
