The Department of Health sealed the deal with BT for developing a solution for the use of Sapphire Theatre, a new theatre management system by Newgate Technology.

A spokesman said BT's solution met the Department's remit of replacing inefficient processes with a paperless automated system which could improve patient care, after a government audit found operating theatres were under-used.

Sapphire records real-time information around theatre operations and can collect data on session utilisation, cancellations, procedures performed and equipment used.

Des O'Loan, ICT programme manager at the Department of Health's directorate of information systems, said its aim was to make the most of resources so that patients did not have long to wait — all in a safe clinical environment.

"We no longer have to dig through theatre ledgers to get clinical and management information. It's now available in real time and can be shared with appropriate healthcare professionals contributing to a patient's care."

Chris Clark, the BT CEO, said: "The system delivers improved clinical governance to management but it also works for the healthcare staff on the frontline because it is so easy to use.

"It is a very significant win for us because it is the first time that BT has facilitated and integrated an application to the health service in Northern Ireland."

BT's five-year involvement with the contract began with a project managing the initial proof-of-concept phase in the Belfast City Hospital. Infrastructure was installed in the hospital data centres and the application was integrated with the existing patient administration system.

It has gone live in Belfast Trust and will next be installed in three theatres in the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine. It is expected to be fully deployed by late 2008.