IRIS, the largest privately owned software business in the UK,
has announced that it has acquired Maclean McNicoll Software, the
leading provider of specialist accounting software to GP
practices.
This is the second acquisition for IRIS in the
Healthcare Solutions market in the space of just a few weeks. In
September, the Group announced the acquisition of Ferguson GP
Software, the market leading provider of specialist payroll
packages to GP practices. Both the payroll and the accounts
packages are integrated, providing important efficiency savings to
the busy practitioner.
In total, IRIS now provides software
applications to over half of the UK’s 10,000 GP practices.
Maclean McNicoll Software was established in
1986 by two GPs, Dr Neil Maclean and Dr Ian McNicoll and is based
in Glasgow. The company’s single product GP Accounts appeals to GP
practices because it provides the cashbook and NHS income reporting
facilities required by GPs and Practice Managers.
Dr Neil Maclean and Dr Ian McNicoll will
remain actively involved in the future development of the software
and are keen to ensure it is very much ‘business as usual’ for all
GP Accounts customers.
Maclean McNicoll Software will join IRIS
Accounting and Business Solutions Business Unit and will be able to
draw upon its wide reaching expertise both in product development
and customer support. Other IRIS products include award winning
Exchequer Software, IRIS Accounts Office and IRIS Bookkeeping.
Martin Leuw, IRIS CEO, who has held a number
of high profile positions in the Healthcare sector and was a member
of the Government Advisory Group who set up NHS Direct before
joining IRIS in 2001 said: “The Maclean McNicoll acquisition is
extremely important as it will allow us to expand further our
services into GP practices and the wider healthcare sector as well.
It complements our earlier acquisition of Ferguson GP Software,
providing us with a leadership position in this area. For
customers, it will be ‘business as usual’ - both businesses enjoy a
high level of respect in the GP practice market and have an
extremely loyal customer base which we will continue to
nurture.
“Interestingly, about half of the practices
using Ferguson GP Software also use Maclean McNicoll Software and
there is integration between the products which provide efficiency
savings to the busy practice. Maclean McNicoll Software is a very
welcome addition to the growing IRIS portfolio of Healthcare
products.”
