What does the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement mean for the NHS in England? The NHS in England has a central licensing arrangement with Microsoft – called an Enterprise Agreement - which provides software licences to all personal computers (including desktops and laptops) for specific core Microsoft products across all of the NHS organisations in England including Primary Care Groups Trusts, Acute, Ambulance, Community and Mental Health Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities, including Special Health Authorities. The arrangements have been extended to the Department of Health and its relevant authorities The arrangement also covers Hospices and Palliative Care Units providing care to patients in England and linked to the Hospices Connect Programme (as detailed in Appendix). This is a three year agreement running until May 2010 It includes the right to use any new versions of the products included. The funding for this agreement is provided centrally. If you have any questions as a result of reading this document or about Microsoft licensing in general please contact Computacenter's NHS Licensing Helpdesk on 0800 055 6661, or email your queries to nhs.microsoft.ea@computacenter.com.
Why are these arrangements better than Trusts purchasing these products with local budget? By setting up this agreement centrally the NHS negotiated a substantially better price for these products than previously available. This agreement enables speedier progress towards the goals outlined by NHS Connecting for Health (NHS CFH). Organisations do not need to order licences for any of these products. A single annual transaction between the NHS and Microsoft replaces the many tens of thousands of individual orders that would otherwise be needed. NHS organisations are immediately covered for legal use of these products. (See Question 8 for full list of included products.)
Department of Health and Executive Agencies All NHS organisations in England including:
Usage by and on behalf of other parties, such as Independent Treatment Centres should check with both NHS Connecting for Health and Microsoft for eligibility. A full definition of those that can take advantage of this agreement is retained in the Terms and Conditions of the Enterprise Agreement.
NHS organisations in Scotland and Wales have negotiated similar agreements, but are not covered by this agreement. Details of the agreements and FAQs for Microsoft licensing in the NHS in Scotland can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/nhs/licensing/scotland.mspx, and for Wales, here: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/ihc/page.cfm?pid=15338 NHS organisations in Northern Ireland are outside of this agreement, but are eligible to participate in individual volume license agreements set up between the OGC and Microsoft.
Our organisation does not seem to be included in the list/description above – how do I find out whether we are included or whether we could be added in? You should contact your Strategic Health Authority to discuss eligibility. A full list of all qualifying bodies is held by NHS Connecting for Health, as per the Appendices in these FAQs.
Does this agreement mean that we have to use all of this software? No, this is not an exclusive agreement with Microsoft. Similar Enterprise Wide Agreements have been set-up with other technology vendors, Please refer to your SHA CIO for further information
For desktops and laptops, the following software is included: Office System 2007 Professional Plus edition which includes
Office 2007 Step-by-Step Interactive Training Licensing for Office for Macintosh is also included Software Assurance on Windows Vista Business (includes Internet Explorer browser) Core Client Access Licensing which includes:
(These licences enable you to have network access to a server running the server version of these products.) Enterprise Client functionality for these CALs is available, in increasing amounts over the lifetime of the agreement, which will enable organisations to build on the infrastructural benefits gained by fully deploying the core technologies. Microsoft and NHS Connecting for Health are working on a joint Infrastructure optimisation model that will enable organisations to measure the maturity of their software estate and their ability to use the enterprise components of this agreement to their full extent. Windows 2003 Terminal Services Client Licensing is still available to those organisations who wish to use those licenses – the previous volumes purchased enable those who wish to use TS CALs to do so. You will need to activate them using the previous agreement details. You can obtain these from you Microsoft Account Manager.
What software is not included? Other desktop products, such as Project and Visio are not included, as they are not being used on every personal computer running Windows in the NHS None of the server licences are included and Trusts should continue to purchase these products via their existing Select agreement. Select remains the most cost-effective licensing vehicle for buying Microsoft licensing. Server products that can be purchased through the Select agreement include:
This is not a complete list – for details of these and other server products please see www.microsoft.com/servers or contact Computacenter's NHS Licensing Helpdesk on 0800 055 6661, or email your queries to nhs.microsoft.ea@computacenter.com.
How do I buy the software that is not included? The best possible and most suitable pricing available at this time is through the Select Licensing programme. Given the pricing structures in place, you should not purchase any software through the Open Licensing scheme or via the retail channel. A Select enrolment will help organisations manage their licence assets and ensure that they receive the appropriate level of support and assistance for their licence requirements from Microsoft and Computacenter. If you wish to enrol any of your additional server licenses in Software Assurance or subscribe to MSDN, please note that you will need to set up your own Select enrolment. Please note that registered charities have access to the Microsoft Academic License Program.
Is my organisation eligible to buy licenses through the Academic Licensing Program? Read the full eligibility guidelines here An extract from this document is shown below; please check the above link for the full guidelines: Hospitals, Healthcare Systems and Research Laboratories are NOT eligible for academic product licences unless they are wholly owned and operated by a qualified Educational Establishment, as defined in the guidelines in Sections A(i) and B. 'Wholly owned and operated' means that the Educational Establishment is the sole owner of said hospital, healthcare system or research laboratory and the only entity exercising control over the said institution's day-to-day operations. Note that hospitals, healthcare systems, and research laboratories are NOT eligible to purchase a School Agreement or to be included as part of an Educational Establishment’s School Agreement, even if they are wholly owned and operated by the Educational Establishment.
Does this agreement include Anti-Virus Software? Yes, Anti-Virus software is included in this agreement, as it is included in the Enterprise CAL. Those entities who do not have anti-virus software on the desktop may immediately take advantage of the Forefront anti-virus client to ensure that their desktops have adequate protection. For those organisations with existing Anti-virus subscriptions from any vendor, they should maximise the value from those subscriptions, and let them run their course to expiry, before reviewing their requirements.
Can we get our hardware supplier to pre-install this software for us? Yes, this will continue using the same process we use in the current Select Agreement. Any supplier wishing to do this for an NHS customer will need to sign an Outsourcer Agreement with Computacenter and countersigned by NHS CFH and Microsoft which gives them permission to do this for you. If you wish to have Windows Vista Business or Vista Enterprise pre-installed you must have them installed onto a machine with a Windows Vista Business OEM License.
How can I find out more information about the products included in this agreement? Computacenter’s dedicated support team is on hand to help you get the best possible value from your NHS Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. To get in touch please call our NHS Licensing Helpdesk on 0800 055 6661, or email your queries to nhs.microsoft.ea@computacenter.com.
How can I get help using these products? Please contact your local IM&T department to discuss training. Training material is available through the Software Assurance Benefits program. This entitles organisations planning large infrastructure upgrades to train their staff in administering and supporting this work. Office 2003 and 2007 plus SharePoint Training is available to all NHS staff from the NHS Resource Centre website, http://www.microsoft.com/uk/nhs . There are also training materials available through the existing Select Agreement from Microsoft Press. See page www.microsoft.com/uk/mspress. There are also many training centres available see www.microsoft.com/uk/skills. The Office 2007 Step-by-Step Interactive Training course is included within this agreement. This course can be found on the media kit supplied by Computacenter and will soon be available via the NHS Resource Centre website (see Contact Information below). If you work with an NHS IM&T department and you require more detailed technical assistance then please contact your Microsoft Account Manager (details at the end of this document). Please see question 30 for reference to Technical Training Vouchers that are available to ICT Staff. In addition, through a programme known as the Common User Interface programme, NHS Connecting for Health and Microsoft are creating specific guidance related to the installation, deployment and management of software covered by this and other agreements. Guidance on participation and deliverables are available from www.cui.nhs.uk.
Where can I get hold of the software media? Computacenter can provide media for you in the same way that they do today. There is a small charge for provision of media as with the current agreement. Please check with your local IM&T department, as you will probably find that they already have what you need.
Does this Software require Activation, and if so how do I activate my licences? Microsoft includes product activation technology in some products that are sold through original equipment manufacturer (OEM), retail, and Volume Licensing channels. Full details on Volume and Product activation are available from here: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/vol/default.mspx The Windows Vista operating system will require Volume Licensing customers to use a new type of activation, called Volume Activation. Volume Activation is a flexible solution that enables Volume Licensing customers to more securely and easily activate computers that are running Windows Vista. Learn more about how Product Activation works here.
What is Windows Genuine Advantage? New technology makes piracy harder and helps protect customers from the risks of counterfeit software while protecting Windows Vista from tampering, counterfeiting, and other abuses. It changes how Windows Vista validates as genuine, activates, and behaves when tampered with or hacked. Activation is a process by which Microsoft determines whether or not a product key is being properly used based upon the software license associated with it. Users are required to complete activation within the first 30 days of using Windows Vista. Completing the activation process allows a user continued access to regular Windows Vista functionality while ensuring that their product key is not being misused. You can read all about Windows Genuine Advantage here.
Does this agreement cover the licensing for Pocket PCs, PDAs or Palms? If the handheld device you use is running the Microsoft operating system Windows CE or Windows Mobile then the licence for this and all of the core Microsoft software included on it (such as Pocket Word and Pocket Excel) will have been included in the purchase price of your device. If your device is going to be used as a thin client, accessing services provided by Microsoft server products such as SQL 2005 and provided within the NHS network then you do not need to purchase additional client access licences. For alternative solutions that access external resources please call Computacenter's NHS Licensing Helpdesk on 0800 055 6661, or email your queries to nhs.microsoft.ea@computacenter.com.
We don’t want to run Office 2007 and/or Windows Vista yet on our site, can we use an earlier version? Yes we provide downgrade rights within this agreement:
Is there any new support or service arrangements included with this agreement? Not at this time, although we will continue to assess services that might be relevant to provide better support to the NHS for Microsoft products.
What are the options available currently for service and support? Support options are not included within this agreement. Microsoft is able to provide a number of different options. Microsoft's Support Lifecycle policy provides consistent and predictable guidelines for product support availability at the time of product release. Premier support provides the highest level of direct support from Microsoft. A Premier support agreement with Microsoft will insure a customer has a priority support relationship with Microsoft. Microsoft support provides not only high class mission critical technical support for all of our products, but also a close working relationship with a Technical Account Manager, improving system avalability, reducing overall support overheads and ensuring a return on investment by providing a pro-active engagement. Some of the ways in which Microsoft Premier Support has helped customers become more efficient are:
For more information on the details of the various offerings or for pricing information please contact: Matt Nelson, Microsoft Services team on 0118 909 3048, or via email at mattnel@microsoft.com.
What happens when a new version of this software is released? You will be immediately covered by this agreement for use of new versions of the products listed above. You should contact your IM&T department for advice before installing any new versions, as there may be issues with your hardware or other software which should be addressed before upgrading to the new version. NHS Connecting for Health also offers guidance on when and how to upgrade on its website (PDF).
Can we use this agreement to install software on home computers if we are using them for work? “Work at Home” rights are not included within this agreement. However, laptop users who take their work computer home are still licensed for use of these products on this NHS owned computer. For Home Use Questions please see Question 35.
Do we need to do anything when we buy new PCs? You will be automatically covered by the Enterprise Agreement for the licences for the products that are included. You can install them immediately or ask your supplier to install them for you if he has signed an outsourcer agreement. See Q 15. The base operating system will always come with the PC and it is cheaper for the NHS to buy it in this way. However, this agreement also enables you to upgrade the Vista Business OEM License to Vista Enterprise. If you wish to take advantage of the Vista licenses within this agreement you will need to install them on machines that have a Windows Vista Business OEM License. You may still buy machines with Windows XP Pro as the OEM license and use some of the XP Pro Upgrade Licenses from the last agreement to upgrade existing machines, but the Vista licenses cannot be used to upgrade these. Once you have received the disks from Computacenter for installation, they will be able to supply you with the License key you need.
We sometimes buy specialist equipment (e.g. audiology systems) which has Microsoft software included, should we tell these suppliers to leave this software out now because of this agreement? If the suppliers are using normal version of Microsoft products covered by this agreement then you have the following options:
I want to know if my PC can run the newest versions of Windows or Office – how do I find out and how do I upgrade? Microsoft’s minimum and recommended requirements, as stated on their web site and on product packaging, for Windows Vista Business are: Windows Vista Business - Recommended system requirements:
Additional requirements to use certain features:
Windows Vista Business - Minimum supported system requirements:
These are Microsoft’s recommendations. NHS organisations should refer to iPSPG guidance when specifying requirements for new hardware. See the table below for system requirements for Office. Contact your IM&T department before upgrading. See Q25 and also Q17, as they are also relevant.
* 512 MB RAM or higher recommended for Outlook Instant Search. Grammar and contextual spelling in Word is not turned on unless the machine has 1 GB memory. ** Office Clean-up wizard not available on 64 bit OS. These are Microsoft’s recommendations. NHS organisations should refer to iPSPG guidance when specifying requirements for new hardware.
Do I still have to think about enrolling any of my software into the new Software Assurance (SA) programme? Yes, but only for software products NOT included in the Enterprise Agreement. Therefore, you only need to think about this for products like Project and Visio and for the Server products. The introduction of SA was one of the factors that influenced the decision to move the NHS to an Enterprise Agreement, as this agreement provides a simpler and better value approach for the NHS compared to leaving local organisations to sort out their own SA purchases locally.
What Software Assurance benefits are included in this Agreement? For Details of the Software Assurance benefits that are included in the NHS Enterprise Agreement please contact Computacenter's NHS Licending Helpdesk on 0800 055 6661, or email nhs.microsoft.ea@computacenter.com, to learn what is available and how you can take advantage.
What Training provision for organisations is included and how can I get hold of Microsoft Training? Two subsidised processes are in place to allow the NHS to benefit from training on Microsoft Software: E-learning material for Office Training is available free of charge from the NHS Resource Centre Website We will continue to use the following process for the allocation and distribution of training vouchers assigned for the remainder of this Agreement, to be used against tutor-led technical courses, as agreed with NHS Connecting for Health:
I have heard that I can get Office for my own use at home. How do I do this? Simply go to the NHS Resource Centre at http://www.microsoft.com/uk/nhs, follow the link to the Home User Programme and follow the instructions there to order your own copy of Office for use at home. This Software is free of charge whilst you are employed by the NHS, but please note that a small charge is levied to cover shipping and handling. To obtain Office for use in your organisation, please contact Computacenter's NHS Licensing Helpdesk on 0800 055 6661. The Home User Programme helps to increase employee productivity and maximise the value of your Microsoft Office System investment by enabling your colleagues to work at home. The Home User Programme enables eligible employees to get a licensed copy of most Microsoft Office desktop applications to install and use on a home computer. Eligible employees can order online via the Microsoft NHS Resource Centre. In order to access this web site, your employees must use the unique program code provided for your organisation. In relation to employee liability for the software - it rests entirely with the user - so should they leave the NHS then they are required as per the terms and conditions on the web site to uninstall and return it to their Trust.
What is the NHS Resource Centre? The NHS Resource Centre is an interactive web portal dedicated to NHS staff and healthcare partners in order to share best practice and experience across healthcare and IT through articles, events, tips, user groups and discussion forums. The NHS Resource Centre e-newsletter will also keep you updated on all the latest news, events and offers. The website allows users to sign in with the ability to perform multiple interactive and collaborative functions. NHS users can create their own content in the form of articles, events or tips and can set up exclusive user groups within which users can hold private discussion forums. Members can also interact with the site by customising their homepage view, adding favourite RSS feeds, setting up specific content alerts and automatically email relevant articles or information to colleagues and friends. Access to the Home User Programme, the Employee Purchase Programme and E-learning facilities that are available as benefits of this agreement can be obtained from this site. The Employee Purchase Programme allows staff to purchase a variety of Microsoft software and a small selection of PC or Xbox games at discounted prices. All NHS staff with an NHS email address can also benefit from the Online Training resources made available through this agreement. These can be accessed via work or at home with a PC or laptop. There is a wide selection of training exercises for employees to choose. Users can track their progress with a personal online training homepage and keep on top of their achievements. To access the courses for free all you need is your NHS email address to sign up and get started. For more information on the website, e-newsletter and e-learning, please contact nhsweb@microsoft.com. For more information on the Home User Programme and Employee Purchase Programme, please contact nhsea@microsoft.com or hupvalue@microsoft.com. Access the Home User Programme for NHS employees here Access the Employee Purchase Programme for NHS employees here Access free Microsoft online training for NHS staff here
I have heard the Microsoft and NHS Connecting for Health are working on the NHS Common User Interface. How do we obtain details on taking part or obtaining some of the deliverables from this programme? In summary - the Desktop and Infrastructure deliverables are currently being distributed by NHS CFH. Interested parties should apply through the stakeholder mailbox at http://www.cui.nhs.uk. Microsoft will not distribute any NHS CUI deliverables directly to a NHS Entity.
NHS Connecting for Health Contact: Commercial Directorate Microsoft Ltd http://www.microsoft.com/uk/nhs Account Manager contacts: Trusts in the North West/West Midlands regions - Tim Lavers - 0118 909 2375/ i-timl@microsoft.com Trusts in the North East/ Eastern regions – Irfan Awan - 0118 909 7848/ v-iawan@microsoft.com Trusts in the Southern or London Regions – Sunil Patnaik - 0118 909 4299/ v-sunip@microsoft.com Microsoft NHS Team John Coulthard – Director of Healthcare Tim Gee – Healthcare Business Manager – North, Midlands Brian Painting – Healthcare Business Manager – London Richard Lane – NHS Technical Specialist Vatro Popovic – NHS Technical Specialist Microsoft Switchboard -- 0870 60 10 100 Computacenter Ltd. East of England SHA Please contact Computacenter Ltd at: nhs.microsoft.ea@computacenter.com
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