1999

PA Consulting Group and Scottish National Health Service win medal in British Computer Society awards for new GP computer system - 04 November 1999

The British Computer Society (BCS) has named a joint project between PA Consulting Group and GPASS, part of the Scottish National Health Service, as one of nine medallists in its 1999 Information Technology Awards. The project is the development of a world-class GP computer system called New GPASS, using leading edge technology, which has combined public sector knowledge with private sector skills to deliver value to the health service.

The project was chosen from 91 entries in the BCS annual awards which are designed to encourage excellence and innovation within the UK IT industry. The medal was presented by Alastair Macdonald, DTI Director-General, Industry, at an event in London yesterday.

Over the last few years, the UK Government has taken steps to modernise parts of the National Health Service by shifting service delivery from large hospitals to the GP surgery. In Scotland, the GPs’ national computer system was ill suited to this task and PA Consulting Group was retained by the Scottish NHS to resolve the situation through the development of New GPASS.

Terry Channell, member of PA’s management group who led the project said:

GPASS Development Director, Mr Martin Irving, commented:

The system’s increased functionality is improving GP effectiveness, with the use of a complete appointments capability, a drug database and prescribing facility, rapid recording and retrieval of clinical information and a versatile patient searching and reporting facility. It is now in use in 400 sites in Scotland, with more than 6,000 users, and is being rolled out to the remaining 450 sites by the end of 2000.

This work also received recognition earlier this year by winning the Management Consultancies Association’s Award for Best Management Practice – Best use of IT when the judges commented "PA’s approach exemplifies best practice in the public sector''.

For more information, please contact:

PA Information Enquiry PA Consulting Group 123 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SR United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 730 9000 E-mail: info@paconsulting.com

Notes to editors

The British Computer Society

The British Computer Society (BCS) is the chartered body for all Information Systems professionals. Formed in 1957 and granted a Royal Charter in 1984, the Society has over 37,000 members. In May 1990, the BCS became a Chartered Engineering institution. The BCS Web pages may be found on www.bcs.org.uk.

GPASS

GPASS is committed to furthering the overall aims of the National Health Service in Scotland by supplying software systems and services that promote the best use of IT in primary care.

PA Consulting Group is a leading management, systems and technology consultancy, with a unique commitment to the integration of these capabilities. Established almost 60 years ago, and operating worldwide from around 50 offices in some 20 countries, PA draws on the knowledge and experience of about 2,700 employees, whose skills span the initial generation of ideas and insights all the way through to detailed implementation, including:

• Strategic management, and managing for shareholder value
• Accelerating business growth, especially through innovation
• Improving business design, including customer relationship management, enterprise-wide systems for the supply chain, and full e-business solutions
• Mobilising human resources
• Delivering projects and programmes.

PA focuses on creating benefits for clients rather than merely proposing them, and this focus is supported by an outstanding implementation track record in every major industry and for governments around the world. PA also develops leading-edge technology both for its clients and within its own portfolio of venture companies in areas ranging from software to wireless technology to life sciences.

PA distinguishes itself from its competitors through the range and quality of its people, its development and use of technology, and also its independence. PA's work in every area from strategic management to project delivery is enhanced by its expertise in all the other areas. PA's consultants, whatever their special skills, all share:

• A highly commercial approach to clients' problems and opportunities
• A technologically sophisticated view of both the industry sectors we serve and the solutions we deliver
• A culture of respect, collaboration and flexibility in working with our clients to achieve their aims.

Adding value to clients, from insight to implementation, is ingrained at PA through our culture and tradition, and also through our compensation and ownership philosophy. PA is owned by its employees, with everyone at PA entitled to a stake in the company, and our reward systems are also directly related to the results created for clients. This builds a virtuous circle, as we know that the only way we can create value for ourselves is by creating value for our clients first. The value we create for clients and within PA helps us to attract the best people in the world to PA, and to invest in more leading-edge technologies, thereby allowing us to increase further the value we bring to our clients.

We are proud that our clients say 'PA makes it happen'.

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