NHS trusts are leaving it to the last minute to migrate away from Windows XP, according to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.
Just five of 35 trusts across the UK have turned to desktop virtualisation as a means of migrating off Microsoft’s aged operating system, support for which expired in April this year, according to virtualisation firm Citrix’s FoI.
While public sector XP-running computers are protected by a £5.5m custom support deal with Redmond, three-quarters of the trusts now face a rush to migrate their last machine from XP by March 2015 – one month before the custom support deal ends.
Moreover, 14% were unsure when they would transition their last computer, with only two trusts considering virtualisation aside form the five currently using it.
Jason Tooley, UK country manager at Citrix, said: "Like the rest of the public sector, the NHS is under tremendous pressure to do more with less. The IT department is no exception.
"These findings highlight a wider opportunity for NHS trusts across the UK to harness technology today to transform IT processes for the better.
"Utilising IT – including desktop and application virtualisation – can positively impact the entire workplace, delivering increased productivity and ultimately improved patient care."
