News
IBA wins £22 million contract extension with NHS SBS for financial
systems
25 March 2008
iB Solutions, a subsidiary of Australian company IBA Health Group
Limited, has won a £22 million contract with NHS Shared Business
Services (NHS SBS) to host its Oracle financial and purchasing
applications for a further five years.
NHS SBS is a specialist outsourcing and technology company, which is
a joint venture between the UK Department of Health and Xansa. iB
Solutions has provided services to NHS SBS since 2002 and the current
contract has been extended until 2014.
iB Solutions provides a fully hosted managed service from its data
centre at Prestwich in Manchester for 2,300 NHS SBS users, which will
rise to 3,200 users within two years. The $47.8 million contract
excludes software licences as NHS SBS has its own enterprise-wide
agreement for Oracle Financials.
With service centres in Leeds, Bristol, and Hampshire, NHS SBS
provides services such as accounts payable, debt collection, bank
account reconciliation, and account reporting, currently processing
around £18 billon cash per annum on behalf of 93 NHS organisations.
NHS SBS did examine a number of alternative suppliers, but iB
Solutions retained the contract based on its past record of delivering a
high performing, stable and successful solution in partnership with NHS
SBS.
NHS SBS managing director Jim Vincent said, “iB Solutions provides a
cost-effective and highly reliable service. We enjoy a genuine
partnership with iB Solutions, and share a common aim of providing a
superior service which delivers sustainable value to our NHS customers.”
Eamonn Morris, IB Solutions’ managing director, said: “Our
relationship with NHS SBS has matured over the past five years into a
partnership where there is mutual respect and trust at all levels. The
extension of the agreement for a further five years to 2014 clearly
indicates the strength of our relationship.
“The agreement by NHS SBS to extend its contract to 2014 along with
announcements in December of a $40 million contract with the North East
Patches and a $2.75 million deal with six NHS trusts in November,
consolidates the capability of our Oracle e-business centre of
excellence while enhancing the quality of our earnings for many years to
come,” concluded Eamonn Morris
In December 2007, NHS Shared Business Services was recognised as a
key success for the public sector by the National Audit Office (NAO),
the UK government’s spending watchdog. The NAO predicts savings of £250
million over 11 years in a report outlining the gains that are starting
to be realised as a result of access to better management information,
improved financial control and adherence to procurement processes.
“The NOA has recognised the benefits over and above the pure
financial savings,” Jim Vincent said. “Our NHS clients are benefiting
from improved management information, paperless and faster transaction
handling and the step change in the robustness of processes.”
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