IT provider wins £1.2m health trusts contract

Apr 10 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

BUSINESS solutions provider Knowledge IT has won a major new contract to provide the primary care trusts in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland with IT equipment and support services.

The £1.2m deal will see Knowledge supplying and installing more than 1,400 PCs and 1,100 printers to 155 sites throughout Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland, including 116 GP practices.

This is the largest one-off health contract that the Washington-based company has won and follows the opening of a new data and business recovery centre on the Silverlink Business Park last year as part of a £5m five-year growth investment strategy.

Chris Reed, chief executive of Newcastle and North Tyneside PCTs and Northumberland Care Trust, said: “This investment is a key part of NHS modernisation and will play an important role in improving efficiency and effectiveness of clinical systems and ensure that they will be fit for the future.”

Knowledge, which employs over 70 people, has won several major new IT contracts in recent months including the Cardinal Hume School, the Marine Design Centre and Springfield Motors Group.

George Sanger, Knowledge’s sales and marketing director, said the North Tyneside PCT deal is the largest one-off contract ever won by the firm.

“Our success in delivering other healthcare sector contracts meant that we had the experience and expertise to win this one in the face of stiff national competition.”