• New communications infrastructure enables Trust to deploy Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS)
• Hands-free wearable badges improve communications for mobile workers

Affiniti, the communications integrator, today announced that it has signed a contract worth £650k over three years to deliver a converged communications infrastructure, including IP Telephony and wireless communications solutions, to the Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust & The Cardiothoracic Centre Trust. The solution will allow the Trust to deploy modern healthcare applications to enhance patient care and improve efficiency.

The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals provide general hospital services to the adult population of Liverpool and also provide specialist health services for Merseyside, Cheshire and beyond. The Cardiothoracic Centre Trust, a centre of excellence located at the Broadgreen site, serves around 2.8 million people and is one of the largest specialist heart and chest hospitals in the United Kingdom.

In the first step of the Trust's phased migration from a legacy telephony infrastructure to a fully converged solution, Affiniti will deploy a 600 handset IP Telephony solution at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and the Cardiothoracic Centre, plus wearable wireless Vocera® Communications Badges providing IP communications to mobile clinicians. As part of the three-year contract, Affiniti will provide support for the Trust's IP Telephony network and core elements of its LAN.

The Cisco-based LAN infrastructure will include a 10Gb backbone to support the Trusts' deployment of the Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS). PACS will allow images such as X-rays and scans to be stored and viewed electronically, so that health professionals can access the information at the touch of a button. The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals and Cardiothoracic Centre Trusts were the first in the North West and West Midlands Cluster to deploy PACS when the system went live at the end of March 2006.

Ward Priestman, IT Director at the Trust, said: "Our new infrastructure enables us to run all the applications essential to a modern hospital, wherever and whenever they are needed. It also provides the platform for our gradual migration to IP Telephony, which will reduce our total cost of ownership considerably. We chose to work with Affiniti on this project because of its excellent reputation in the healthcare sector and exceptional converged networking experience."

Affiniti is helping the Trust to maximise the potential of its wireless infrastructure through the deployment of the Vocera Communications System. This hands-free, voice-controlled communications platform allows mobile workers (such as clinicians and doctors) to communicate instantly facilitating on-the-spot decision-making and freeing up more time to spend with patients.  It consists of two main components: a lightweight, wearable Badge and the Vocera Systems Software which acts as a centralised command centre controlling all call activity and workflow. It can also be upgraded with the Vocera Telephony Solution allowing users to make and receive calls on their badges from extensions, outside phone numbers or digital pagers.

Ward Priestman, continued: "The Vocera solution overcomes the problem of locating key people in our large hospital, particularly at night. Our initial deployment is with junior doctors on call, but we envisage much wider usage in the future with our current bleep system being gradually replaced. The Vocera system will help to improve communications, enable greater staff mobility and ultimately enhance patient care."

Gary Young, Managing Director of Affiniti, said: "The innovative solutions being introduced at the Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust puts them at the forefront of the Government's Connecting for Health agenda. These solutions also ensure a highly effective, modern communications system that will underpin the Trust's service needs now and well into the future." 
 
Nick Stone, UK Sales Manager of Vocera Communications, Ltd said: "The Vocera Communications System is a new wireless innovation in speech communication ideally suited to the healthcare environment. Our strategic partner Affiniti has all the credentials to make this project a great success."

Affiniti, the communications integrator, specialises in designing, implementing and managing intelligent communications solutions for private and public sector organisations.

Some of its customers include: Experian, Carphone Warehouse, British Airways, Ford, Admiral Insurance, Edinburgh Telford College , Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen Hospital , Cheshire Police, Citigroup, Lloyds TSB.

Affiniti is part of the KCOM Group.

KCOM Group PLC provides a range of integrated IT and communications services to businesses, and internet and telecommunications services to selected consumer markets, within the UK .

The Group's portfolio of businesses works with both leading private enterprise customers and public sector organisations. Through its Affiniti, Smart421 and JAM IP brands, the Group delivers solutions covering unified communications, contact centre solutions, data management, applications integration and managed services.

The KCOM Group also includes a regionally-focused business, Kingston Communications, which supports small to medium-sized businesses. Through its KC and Eclipse brands, the business offers a wide range of internet-based and telecommunications services. The regional business also provides telephony and internet services to targeted consumers through its KC, Eclipse and Karoo brands.

The Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and employs over 2,700 people across the UK .

Jenny Roberts or Emma Turner
Nelson Bostock Communications
020 7792 7400
E: jenny.roberts@nelsonbostock.com/emma.turner@nelsonbostock.com

Dianne White
Affiniti
01442 883370
E: Dianne.white@affiniti.com