IMS Maxims buys CSW assets

IMS Maxims Plc today announced it has acquired certain assets of CSW Group Limited, the Oxford-based health software developer currently in administration.

IMS says it is now working closely with BT, to ensure a smooth transition of support takes place, for both the eSAP and CHIA solutions which were developed by CSW and deployed in areas of the capital by BT as part of the National Programme for IT in the NHS.

IMS will pay £175,000 to the administrators to acquire unspecified contracts with annualised revenues of £800,000 from CSW and take on a number of staff.

CSW Group Limited is an Oxford-based specialist in XML-based software applications for healthcare. It had contracts with BT, the LSP, and a number of NHS trusts with a turnover to 31 January 2008 of £5.3m.

IMS says the acquisition both widens and further strengthens the IMS suite of healthcare solutions available and means that IMS can better support the need for tactical and strategic solutions for the UK NHS, Irish health services, private health sector and emerging markets in the Middle East.

Commenting on the acquisition Brian Ennis, IMS chief executive officer, said: "Our first priority is to continue the support of CSW solutions to existing customers and to embrace the knowledge and experience of the CSW team. The combined product offering will allow IMS deliver an even broader range of leading clinical software applications to healthcare users."

If IMS sells the KMS Software asset acquired from CSW within the next 12 months then it will share any profits with CSW Group Ltd. The company says it expects the acquisition to be neutral in terms of the consolidated profits for IMS in the year to 31 March 2009.