The NHS has inked a £74 million, five year desktop services deal with Atos, replacing supplier CSC on the work.
Under the contract, Atos said it will deliver an "integrated" desktop service based on open source software, as well as providing related support.
The aim is to cut costs and aid collaboration. Atos will also deliver a new data centre infrastructure, targeting scalability and performance.
The contract is outside the officially-cancelled NHS National Programme for IT. The government and CSC are understood to remain in complex negotiations over the next steps regarding their agreement for that programme.
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The desktop services deal was awarded to Atos under the ASCC (Additional Supply Capability and Capacity) agreement, which gives the NHS access to a number of IT suppliers under a framework deal. ASCC was introduced with the aim of improving procurement for trusts, and giving them access to more systems and suppliers.
A spokesperson at the Department of Health said the hiring of Atos "was conducted against the ASCC framework using an in-house team".
The new agreement delivers "savings of around 40% on the current cost of service", the spokesperson claimed.
Atos will link the desktop solution for the Department of Health and some of its Arms Length Bodies including the Care Quality Commission.
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