System C buys Scottish web developer

System C Healthcare, a UK provider of health software and services to the healthcare sector, has acquired Conscia Enterprise Systems for up to £800,000.

The deal is the latest in a string of acquisitions by System C, which in July bought social care software specialist Liquid Logic for £14.2m.

Glasgow-based Conscia specialises in internet services for the private and public sectors. The company has worked on web development, intranet and portal projects for NHS Scotland, NHS Connecting for Health and other health service organisations.

The acquisition will strengthen System C’s web development capabilities, of particular value in the development of clinical dashboards and portals, areas that System C has concepts given a strong push by the Darzi Review last year.

Dr Ian Denley, chief executive of System C, said that Conscia's web development expertise would enable the business to create new products within the healthcare sector.

The deal is the fifth acquisition by System C in the past two years. In January 2008 System C bought maternity software firm Care Records from medical equipment manufacturer Huntleigh Healthcare ; and then IQ Systems Services, a provider of specialist clinical systems to the independent healthcare sector. In May 2008 it bought health RFID specialist Bluestar.

Conscia generated turnover of £1.2m and pre-tax profits of profit £200,000 in the twelve months to June.

In the year ending May, System C reported an increase in revenue of 21% to £21.9m, while pre-tax profits were up by 24% to £4.1m.