Cerner Brings in the Big Guns

Cerner, one of the contenders for local service provider (LSP) contracts to be awarded by the National Programme for IT in the NHS, has announced a major expansion of its UK presence and moved one its most senior executives to London to oversee the operation.

The US-based corporation said this week that its chief operating officer, Glenn Tobin, would be moving over from America to head up the new headquarters based in the Paddington Basin development. Dr Tobin, who is also an executive vice-president of Cerner, is one of the corporation’s top three executives worldwide. His UK title will be chief executive officer, Cerner Limited.

Announcing the move, chairman and chief executive officer of Cerner Corporation, Neal Patterson, said: “Glenn has been a key strategic force in the significant success of Cerner over the past five years, and I am elated that he has agreed to relocate to London as we significantly expand our operational capacity in the UK.”

Dr Tobin, who worked with consultants, McKinsey, before joining Cerner, said: “The UK is incredibly sophisticated in its understanding of the role of technology in transforming healthcare. I am excited by the opportunity to implement information solutions at our existing client sites and throughout the UK.”

Dr Phil Collins, Cerner’s marketing and solutions director who is already based in the UK, said the company was hiring staff. “We are taking people on locally and bringing people in from the US.”

He emphasised that the expansion was the result of Cerner’s commitment to the market and a desire to invest ahead of any announcements rather than “wait and see” how contracts are awarded.

The move shows a high level of confidence in Cerner’s ability to win business under the National Programme. The company is in three consortia bidding for LSP status and is tipped to do well in the award round. Earlier this month, Cerner announced that it had won a contract to implement its Millennium electronic patient record solution at two London trusts – Homerton and Newham.