The future looks healthy

Conscia's merger with English healthcare solutions specialist System C Healthcare PLC coincides with a significant recruitment drive and expansion within Conscia's city-centre headquarters in Glasgow's St Vincent Street.

Jim Burke, joint managing director of Conscia, wanted to link the company - which boasted a long-standing focus on providing healthcare web portals - with a leading UK developer of clinical and business intelligence software.

"We believe that web portal technology can have a huge impact in healthcare delivery," Jim said. "System C and Conscia are ideally placed to develop healthcare IT solutions that can really make a difference to patient care."

System C's chief executive, Dr Ian Denley, said System C was delighted with the merger. "We are convinced of the value of portal technology and are already developing a range of web-based portals for our health and social care clients", he said. "Conscia's significant web development expertise will help us to create new products and pursue new opportunities within the UK healthcare sector."

Conscia has specialised in providing premium web applications, including e-commerce and mobile solutions, across the private and public sectors.
Its healthcare clients include NHS24, NHS ­National Services Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland, Scottish Government Health Department, and a number of regional health boards. The company has also recently developed a new national knowledge portal called Knowledge for Care Scotland in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland's Knowledge Services Group.

Conscia and System C have been working together on healthcare solutions for over a year.

Conscia's joint managing director Mark Buchner said the merger allowed the company to accelerate its growth plans. Having expanded into the St Vincent Street head office just two years ago, Conscia has now announced a further expansion to occupy an upper level of the same building. This is being kitted out with state of the art software and communications technologies.

"This presents an exciting opportunity for further development, thus aiding the healthcare sector to make the most of state-of-the-art portal solutions", said Mark. He added that the company would now be recruiting at least six more web development professionals to handle the expansion.