The Department of Health Informatics Directorate will provide funding of £2.2 million to over 40 IT projects.

The funding will be used to develop new digital services including patient care and information sharing within the NHS.

The funding is also designed to promote innovation with Bill McAvoy, interim director of the intelligence, patients and information directorate, of the NHS Commissioning Board Authority, saying: "This makes for an exciting opportunity to pave the way for more collaborative patient-centred working across the NHS."