UK's largest NHS trust picks Block for IT revamp

Capital-based Cisco Gold partner bags nine-year deal with Imperial College Healthcare Trust

VAR Block Solutions has won a deal to transform the IT infrastructure of the UK's largest NHS trust.

The Imperial College Healthcare Trust (ICHT) employs 9,500 people and covers five hospitals across central and west London. The trust has asked London-based Block to design, deploy and support an all-new converged infrastructure.

The deal includes a four-year phased technology rollout and a five-year support deal, with an optional extension.

Jonathan Pickering (pictured), managing director of the Cisco Gold partner, said: "Our work with other elite London Trusts such as Great Ormond Street Hospital and Guy's & St. Thomas' means we have a team both ready for the challenge and excited at the prospect of working with another major NHS Trust."

Block claims the Cisco offering being implemented will slash the total cost of ownership of the current multi-vendor set-up. The networking vendor's technology will also allow ICHT to take advantage of high-end applications such as video, said Block, as well as permitting long-term connectivity to the N3 and JANET national public sector networks.

Tony Ball, ICT programme manager at ICHT, said: "The network programme is a crucial element in the trust's ICT strategy. It will support closer collaboration and integration across the organisation, while delivering a modern, flexible ICT infrastructure service that trust users can depend on.

"As such, we needed a partner with both outstanding technical credentials and proven healthcare experience and, following a thorough competitive tender process, Block was clearly that partner."