Warner told the Financial Times that the plan was at least two years behind schedule with costs rising to close to GBP20 billion. The scheme had originally been expected to cost GBP6.2 billion.
Full electronic records may now not be in place until early 2008 due to delays in software provision, as well as disputes as to what should be included on the national medical record and how data should be added.
Warner said the government had to regroup over the national medical record, which is meant to make patient data available when and wherever it is needed.
