Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 February 2014
635. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the total sum that has been spent to date on the national dental software system computerised project; the costing on an annual basis; if the project is still being funded by the 2002 contract and if he has any concerns in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8905/14]
View answer641. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health with regard to the national dental software system, the parts of the country that have been computerised; the software being used; the persons who own said software; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8979/14]
View answer654. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health with regard to the national dental software system, the reason the project has not been completed; the reason the Health Service Executive is persisting with a system that has failed to deliver; if, in future, local health boards will be allowed to select their own supplier of dental software; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9103/14]
View answer656. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the national dental software system project is in compliance with proper procurement procedures; if he is satisfied, after 12 years of both poor implementation and significant operational problems, with the fact that Exact is still the system of choice for the NDSS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9107/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 635, 641, 654 and 656 together.
A national electronic dental record system is in use in 3 of the 4 HSE regions which include the counties of Dublin, Meath, Louth, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Offaly and in East Wicklow. The software used is SOEL Health (formerly EXACT) which is supplied by Software of Excellence. The process used to choose the software for use by the national dental system, was undertaken by the former Eastern Regional Health Authority in 2002 and was fully compliant with all appropriate procurement procedures. The software has been significantly developed and improved over the intervening period by the suppliers and previous versions have been replaced with the upgraded version within the HSE.
The software used by the HSE dental service in Donegal and in Sligo-Leitrim is EXACT, which is supplied by Software of Excellence. The software used by the HSE dental service in Cork and Kerry is Bridges, which is supplied by Integrity Data Associates.
With the development of the National Oral Health Office the upgrading of EXACT to SOEL Health has now been completed and the expansion of SOEL Health to remaining areas is under way. SOEL Health remains the software of choice of the HSE dental service. There are no plans to allow local areas to select their own suppliers of software.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on the costs of the national dental software system.
