NHS Network Futures and PSN

Current NHS networks are N3 for England and Scotland (separate contracts), Public Sector Broadband Aggregation (PSBA) network in Wales and the HSC network in Northern Ireland.

The N3 contract is due to end at 31st March 2014, although it is conceivable the final available clauses could be invoked to retain it until autumn 2014. There is provision then for up to three years for an orderly transition to new arrangements. The N3 Janet Gateway contract is due to end in June 2015.

In England the N3 replacement programme is Public Services Network for Health. The Public Services Network website gives the latest Programme Director's report and the position with PSNH as at May 2013 was given as follows:

"PSN for Health (PSNH)
6.5.1 The PSNH SRO, Alex Abbott has confirmed and communicated the intention to replace N3 through the PSN. PSNH is the change programme which will conclude once N3 is fully exited (2017). At that point all Health organisations will then be interoperating and accessing health applications on PSN. The scale and success of this change is a cornerstone of PSN success with 1.4 million health workers and c20,000 health organisations. A PSN team has been established to directly support PSNH and is working collaboratively with HSCIC, Department of Health and NHS England.
6.5.2 Funding arrangements for local connectivity are yet to be fully finalised, but it is intended that this will support local choice for the delivery of Health systems and services.
6.5.2 PSNH Strategic Outline Case is on track to be approved by Cabinet Office in May 2013. The Outline Business Case is already well advanced and due to be submitted in the next quarter.
6.5.3 PSNH programme office has confirmed that IA/IG requirements for Health have been moved into the PSNH programme as a new work stream within the main programme. This is seen as a significantly important step for Health in movement towards PSN alignment.
6.5.4 PSNH Early Adopter plans are being scoped for delivery later this year prior to expiry of the N3 contract. These will include interaction between PSN users and legacy N3 applications as well as PSN users and Health applications hosted within a PSN certified environment.
6.5.5 Development of PSNH procurement and transition plans are being supported by Cabinet Office but the scale of transition will require significant resourcing from both the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC – previously Connecting for Health) and the Cabinet Office PSN Team."

This report went on to summarise the positions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland:

"6.8 Devolved Administrations
6.8.1 A high level roadmap for PSN adoption in Scotland has been produced. The Scottish Wide Area Network that will provide PSN capability to the Scottish Public Sector is currently being procured via competitive dialogue and award is expected in autumn 2013.
6.8.2 Cabinet Office is continuing to engage the Welsh Government with regards to the PSN certification and re-procurement of their existing National WAN (PSBA).
6.8.3 Northern Ireland Civil Service plans for PSN adoption will be developed during the next quarter following planned engagement activity in June. Supplier plans to provide both DNSP and GCN capability in Northern Ireland are being reviewed with 2 suppliers already committed to delivery in NI.
6.8.4 Cabinet Office have been advising the NI Business Services Organisation (BSO) on PSN Connectivity Framework procurement for replacement connectivity services within the Health sector due to go to market in August this year."

There is more about the Scottish Wide Area Network (SWAN) here and Ron MacDonald spoke to the Scotland NHS-HE Forum about it in October 2012.

Mark Reynolds, the PSNH Programme Director, spoke informally to the NHS-HE Forum in May 2013 about the sort of changes envisaged. It is hoped to have a PSNH Blueprint to share soon. A draft has been seen by the PSNH User Council but it has not been signed off for release.

Janet's Position with the PSN and Health

Bob Day reviewed Janet's position with the PSN at the NHS-HE Forum in May 2013. The summary on the positioning is:

Thus the ILO IL2 Gateway challenge remains. Bob's conclusion was: