VARs team up to cure Great Ormond Street's networks

Connect-IP and Block Solutions complete 12-month upgrade of children's hospital's infrastructure

(left to right) Jilani Gulam from Great Ormond Street Hospital with Bob Allen, director at Connect-IP.

VAR Connect-IP has completed a 12-month IT infrastructure upgrade at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in partnership with Cisco reseller Block Solutions.

GOSH’s IT system, which was in desperate need of modernisation, includes 5,000 users served by 65 communication rooms across departmentsuch as Paediatric ICU, theatres and Pathology.

Both Connect-IP and Block Solutions had worked together on a similar project before at the Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust which involved ungrading the communications rooms, installing a wireless network and linking areas with fibre optic cables.

Marc Chang, technical director at Block Solutions, said: “As with any major project in a hospital environment, the work wasn’t without its challenges. However, Connect-IP helped overcome these with great success and enabled us to complete a significant portion of the work with Great Ormond Street Hospital.

“We have worked with Connect-IP on similar projects in the past and each time they have proven to be a very valuable partner,” he said.

Bob Allen, director at Connect-IP, added: “To be working with one of the country’s best known hospitals was a massive coup. This was a major contract for the company and obviously we are very pleased with the positive feedback received. Through the combined expertise of Block and Connect-IP, the hospital’s advanced ICT systems now deliver a responsive, flexible and reliable service to the Trust. It has taken a year to complete and showcases our credentials in supporting IT redevelopment within the public sector.”