THE next London hospital in line to install the problem-hit NHS computer system has had its start date postponed for a second time.

Kingston Hospital was to begin using the system last October, but the start date had been put back until this April after problems at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, one of the first to install the system. NHS London confirmed today that the April date is off - with no new one set.

Andrew Way, chief executive of the Royal Free, said the software had caused "heartache and hard work" at his hospital. The system is part of a national £12billion IT upgrade that aims to put 50 million patient records on one database by 2014.

Kingston Hospital has lost £500,000 before the system is even installed because it is still having to pay IT contractors to maintain old systems. A spokeswoman for the hospital said: "We remain committed to implementing the Care Records Service. We are in discussions with NHS London to agree a new date.

"The Trust delayed the go-live date so any issues experienced at other trusts, such as the Royal Free, are fully resolved."

The Royal Free has lost £10million as a result of installing the computer system.

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