Responding to the government's announcement of funding to support electronic prescribing in hospitals, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said:

"We welcome today's announcement that a further 16 NHS trusts will receive funding to support the implementation of electronic prescribing. The benefits of these systems are well known, and will lead to a safer and more efficient NHS.

"But electronic prescribing is only one part of the digital agenda, and NHS trusts have ambitions that extend into the wholesale transformation of health and care services. These digital aspirations can only be realised if there is a long term funding commitment for the sector. This will empower trusts to make strategic and more cost effective digital investments as part of a more sustainable approach to digital maturity."