NHS Tayside spends almost £200,000 on iPads and smartphones

[Northerner]

Patients “will question” the necessity of NHS Tayside forking out almost £200,000 on iPads and smartphones, according to an MSP.

Figures released under Freedom of Information legislation show that between April 2011 and this month, the health board spent £191,500 on the devices.

A total of 200 iPads worth £94,000 have been purchased, as well as 400 smartphones costing £97,500. It means, on average, NHS Tayside spent £470 for each iPad and £243.75 per smartphone.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/he...ost-200-000-on-ipads-and-smartphones-1.761669

Why use expensive iPads? Why not much cheaper Android alternatives?

 

[HOBIE]

Who is in charge ?

 

[HOBIE]

Nice Xmas presy for them 😉

 

[Vicsetter]

Why use expensive iPads? Why not much cheaper Android alternatives?

I would suggest it is a question of IT support costs and/or software. The Samsung Galaxy tab isn't much cheaper anyway. Back in the day it used to be said 'nobody ever got fired for buying IBM'. This comment now applies to Apple.

The spend was over 3.5yrs so this is just journalistic sensationalism (have any patients actually complained), although the NHS doesn't seem to have negotiated a better price for the ipads. Perhaps we would be better off having NHS staff using quill pens and post-it notes (other sticky notes are available).