NHS organisations can now save time and money in the purchasing process of a range of implementation and support services for the UK's only open source electronic patient record (EPR) and patient administration system (PAS) software as IMS MAXIMS announced its place on two major procurement frameworks.
IMS MAXIMS has been appointed as a supplier on the recently launched £1.25bn NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) framework and the UK Government's new G-Cloud 6 marketplace.
Both initiatives allow public organisations such as NHS trusts to avoid a full OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) procurement, a process that consumes significant resources for purchasers. Digital services can be procured ‘off the shelf’, avoiding lock-in to expensive contracts with single suppliers, and encouraging cost-effective, innovative solutions.
NHS trusts can now use either framework to purchase support for openMAXIMS, the free open source code released by IMS MAXIMS last year. openMAXIMS has been developed over nearly three decades alongside clinicians, and includes PAS, EPR and clinical modules. It is available for NHS trusts to download via the IMS MAXIMS website.
Leesa Ewing, business development director at IMS MAXIMS, said: "NHS trusts have long endured lengthy, time-consuming, resource-intensive procurements in order to access software, implementation and support services that help them improve the delivery of patient care. These frameworks provide an option for trusts to simplify current procurement processes and work towards the government's key healthcare targets, such as health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s 2018 paperless ambition."
Under the G-Cloud 6 framework, NHS organisations can access a range of professional services such as benefits realisation, configuration, data migration, project management, testing, training and implementation, all listed within the 'Specialist Cloud Services' category.
"G-Cloud brings a step change in the way government buys IT," said Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, upon the initial launch of the G-Cloud: "It's quicker, cheaper and more competitive, open to a wider range of companies, including a majority of SMEs, and offers more choice and innovation."
The NHS SBS framework, from which NHS organisations can select services worth up to £1.25bn, has confirmed IMS MAXIMS as a supplier under three lots: Core Clinical System Requirements applicable to all NHS Services, Integrated Emergency Care System Provision, and Theatre System Provision.
NHS SBS director of procurement Peter Akid said: "The framework has brought together a combination of suppliers who are in the best position to help providers reap the benefits of clinical information systems that can drive forward improvements in patient care."
Through the SBS, implementation and support services for IMS MAXIMS’ open source software can be procured via “mini-competitions” where requirements are more specific than the terms laid out in the framework agreement.
Shane Tickell, CEO of IMS MAXIMS, added: "These framework awards represent another significant step in our open source strategy. Making our code available to the NHS aimed to ultimately help implement more tailored, efficient systems at a far greater pace and far lower cost.
"There is a clear demand for open source, with healthcare providers driving towards greater software flexibility and less one-size-fits-all pricing agreements. We believe that IT teams and healthcare professionals can enjoy the freedom to build on open source systems on a local level, safe in the knowledge they have the dedicated support of our experienced team if they need it. The frameworks help trusts access this support in an efficient process for all involved."
About G-Cloud 6 framework
The G-Cloud 6 framework facilitates the use of the UK Government’s Digital Marketplace, an online marketplace where suppliers offer their services to the public sector. G-Cloud frameworks allow public organisations to pay for services as they use them, rather than being tied to inflexible, long-term contracts. G-Cloud 6 has 1,852 suppliers offering 19,966 services, with 87 per cent of these SMEs.
In addition to flexibility and cost benefits, the G-Cloud also aims to achieve large, cross-government economies of scale and deliver ICT systems that are responsive to demand in order to support government policies and strategies.
About NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS)
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), a 50/50 joint venture between the Department of Health and IT specialist Sopra Steria, is the market leader in business support services for the NHS. Established in 2005, NHS SBS now provides financial services to all NHS commissioning organisations, and the full range of business support services for around 40 per cent of NHS provider trusts.
NHS SBS has already achieved its original target of delivering £224 million of cost savings to the NHS by 2015. The organisation is now on-course to achieve £1 billion of cost savings to the NHS by 2020.
About openMAXIMS
Electronic patient record (EPR) provider IMS MAXIMS released the open source code for its full MAXIMS suite, including its electronic patient record and patient administration system (PAS) free of charge to the NHS in June 2014. It is functionally identical to the proprietary MAXIMS PAS/EPR from IMS MAXIMS and includes:
About IMS MAXIMS
IMS MAXIMS is an electronic patient record provider working towards better, safer patient care. Specialists in developing clinical and administrative software solutions for healthcare providers, IMS MAXIMS currently supports more than 150 organisations. This covers 11 million patient records in the UK, and 1.9 million patient records in Ireland - approximately 50 per cent of the population - as well as 20,000 users of IMS MAXIMS products.