THE Wigan and Leigh Health Services Trust needs up to £1 million to beat the Year 2000 Millennium Bug.

The Trust Board heard on Wednesday that this is the number one non-clinical priority in the next 19 months, and the NHS Executive has said the cost of solving the problem has to be met from existing funds.

No additional cash will be available and management priorities will have to be refocused to ensure the necessary human and financial reserves are available.

The chief executive will be held personally accountable for ensuring action in relation to all Year 2000 difficulties.

Since November 1997 all equipment and services purchases which may cause Year 2000 problems have been subject to a conformance policy.

The main objective of the Year 2000 Project is to ensure that all essential patient and business equipment or services which may be affected by the date change are either complaint, or a tested contingency plan is available in case of failure.

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