iSOFT wins NHS e-commerce contract extension

NHS Supply Chain has awarded a contract extension to iSOFT to host its e-commerce and logistics operations until 2010. This contract extends a ten-year arrangement with the supplier, initiated by NHS Supply Chain predecessor NHS Logistics.

Operated by DHL Logistics, NHS Supply Chain manages over four million NHS orders a year and aims to provide savings of over £1 billion to the NHS over ten years. NHS Supply Chain is overseen by the NHS Business Services Authority and delivers equipment and supplies to 600 NHS hospitals, GP surgeries and other healthcare organisations from six regional distribution centres. Its e-commerce services include e-trading, e-ordering, e-cataloguing, e-billing and online forecasting.

iSOFT, which was acquired by IBA Health Group in October 2007, offers a fully hosted managed service and a dual data centre operation. The company says that its applications are run in tandem at two separate data centres to guarantee a disaster-tolerant solution. And its warehouse management and distribution applications are developed and supported by IBA subsidiary iB Solutions under a separate contract.


iSOFT UK and Ireland managing director Paul Richards commented: "We have an enviable record of providing a consistently reliable service over many years. Importantly, the long-standing relationship with NHS Supply Chain is built on a true partnership in which we constantly review and develop our service model with the customer to ensure we continually meet its evolving business requirements."

The company has an established relationship with the NHS, having worked with the organisation in relation to the National Programme for IT and having won a number of contracts, including one to upgrade laboratory information systems at a number of NHS trusts in Wales.