Expensive iPads go to NHS board members

Thousands of pounds have been spent on iPads for NHS workers in Dudley, it has been revealed. The high-end devices made by Apple can cost up to £659 each.

Eighteen of the tablet computers have been bought by health organisations in Dudley and Walsall this year.

The cost of an individual iPad is between £399 and £659, depending on the model. Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) confirmed today it had spent around £10,000 on new technologies, including iPads, for each of its 15 board members while Walsall Primary Care Trust has purchased three for its IT services.

Dr David Hegarty, chairman of the CCG, defended the purchases saying the iPads had "cost less" to buy than laptops.

He said the tablets would enable members to access NHS email accounts and read lengthy documents without having to print them.

Money for the devices came from a budget allocated by Dudley PCT for setting up the board of the new GP group and had not been diverted from patient care services, he said.

One worker at Dudley PCT, who did not wish to be named, hit out at the spending on iPads, saying: "I am completely disgusted by this when people are working so hard trying to keep on top of workloads as people are made redundant with no extra pay. "