Since its inception, the National Programme for IT has evoked a huge amount of interest and debate. We present the evidence for the Programme and how it will support the NHS to provide better, safer care.

We look at why it is needed and what people say about it, offering comments and opinions from patients and patient organisations, clinicans, MPs, the media and from the findings of independent reports looking at NHS Connecting for Health and the National Programme for IT.

• The case for IT in healthcare
• What independent reports say
• The patient's voice
• Views of clinicians
• What the media say
• NHS Connecting for Health Evaluation Programme
• Existing Systems Providers (ESPs), access control and standards