NHSScotland announces a £300 million contract with the Atos Origin Alliance as the Information Management & Technology Support Services Partner

London, 21 November 2006 - A new £300 million contract, signed today by the Minister for Health and Community Care, Andy Kerr, will provide NHSScotland with end-to-end delivery of its principal IT services for the next 11 years.

The Minister will also open Atos Origin’s new Data Centre in Livingston, a stable and highly secure environment, which will house NHSScotland’s vital patient data.

NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), a non-departmental public body that works to support Scotland’s health and frontline patient care by delivering essential national and regional services to NHSScotland, negotiated the national IT services contract with the Atos Origin Alliance.

The Atos Origin Alliance, comprising Atos Origin, BT, IBM and Sopra Newell & Budge, is a unique partnership created to provide NHSScotland with the strongest team possible to support the Scottish Health Service of the future. Together, the Atos Origin Alliance has the capability to fulfil a wide spectrum of NHS requirements and the capacity to resource complex large-scale IT projects.

Mr. Kerr, Minister for Health and Community Care said “Currently, most health information is stored on paper files that are kept in different places. The services provided in this contract will help prepare the health service for the future and ensure that patient records are stored in a secure electronic environment.”

He added, “The Data Centre will enable secure access to patient information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and add a new dimension to the healthcare that can be provided to patients. For example, if someone requires emergency treatment out with their health board area, clinicians will be able to quickly find out if the patient is on any medication or has suffered an adverse reaction to any medication in the past.

This magnificent facility will enable the safe and reliable sharing of information across the NHS in Scotland and will provide the basis for a truly integrated health service.”

Professor Stuart Bain, Chief Executive of NHS National Services Scotland said “The IT services supplied under this contract will help provide NHSScotland with the information it needs to deliver effective healthcare, and the technology needed to deliver that information to the right person at the right time”. He added, “This contract demonstrates NHSScotland’s commitment to achieving best value for the delivery of its services”.

The new Atos Origin world-class 17,000 sq ft Data Centre represents a £7m investment and has the capacity and capability to provide NHSScotland with a solid platform from which to run its critical clinical applications such as the Emergency Care Summary, an electronic summary of basic information about a patient which may be needed in an emergency.

Steve Langmead, General Manager of the Atos Origin Alliance, said: “We are delighted to have been selected as NHSScotland’s IT partner for the next 11 years. Working in partnership with NHSScotland, we will deliver world-class innovative and effective solutions with the ultimate aim of improving patient care for the people of Scotland.”


Notes to editors

Further information about the NSS retender project is available from http://www.itcontract.scot.nhs.uk/

The IT services will meet NHSScotland’s evolving national and local business and clinical requirements and will come into effect in April 2007.

The contract will provide the method for supply, administration and management of both the national and some local IT services to NHS Boards in Scotland. It includes core services such as: infrastructure and associated services; data centre services; security management; business continuity; help desk; and first line application support.

Systems that will be supported include local and national systems (business and clinical systems). Examples of applications within scope are: Community Health Index (CHI); Scotland’s Community and Preventative Care systems including Breast, Cytology and Bowel screening, and child immunisation; ePharmacy and PSD Applications; NHS Scotland’s payroll system; and the National Clinical SCI Store.

The Atos Origin Alliance comprises Atos Origin, BT, IBM and Sopra Newell & Budge, which together have over 4000 cumulative years experience of delivering services to NHSScotland.

The partners within the Atos Origin Alliance have over 7,500 staff in 45 offices throughout Scotland delivering IT services solutions to customers across the country. This includes over 350 NHSScotland-dedicated individuals operating from main sites in Paisley, Dundee, Livingston and Edinburgh.

With over 7000 experts in the global health market, the partners of the Atos Origin Alliance bring experience in: Bowel Cancer Screening, Breast Screening, CfH Choose & Book, CfH Spine, CHI, Child Health Screening, Chronic Disease Management, COMPAS, DCVP, DRSP, eCare, ECS, eFinancials, ePharmacy, Evidence Based Medicine, FINDS, GCS, Glasgow Desktop Support, iDent, London LSP, NHSCR, NHS 24/NHS Direct Solutions, N3, PACS, Pathology Solutions, PECS, Pharmacy Stock Control Systems, PMSPS, PRISMS, QMAS, SCI, SCCRS, SEPR, SHOW, SSPS, SSTS, SWISS, UPI, Waiting List Management.

Contact Information

Caroline Crouch

Atos Origin

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