Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has announced the acquisition of Health Call Solutions. Health Call, which provides the patient engagement platform (PEP) for five North-East acute Trusts, will become the first PEP supplier to be majority-owned by a single NHS provider.
This strategic move positions Health Call to accelerate the expansion of its award-winning patient engagement platform and virtual ward solutions to healthcare providers across the UK.
David Elliott, Chief Information Officer for Northumbria Healthcare, Gateshead Health, and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts, emphasised the strategic importance of the acquisition:
“Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust is proud of its reputation as a forward-thinking and innovative organisation as part of the most digitally mature ICS in the country.
“Northumbria is also one of the few Trusts in the country not running at a deficit. This gives the Trust opportunity to invest in solutions that it believes have benefit for its patients, the region, and the wider NHS.”
Health Call’s patient engagement portal is already used by 2.5 million patients across the North-East, handling over 160,000 patient engagements every day.
Ian Dove, CEO of Health Call, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition: “We are thrilled to take this next step in our journey with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Our mission remains the same, to provide cost-effective, high-quality digital health solutions that transform patient care. With Northumbria’s strong leadership in digital innovation, we are now better positioned to roll out our PEP and virtual ward solutions across the UK, ensuring more NHS organisations and their patients benefit from our technology.
“Together with our colleagues at Northumbria NHS FT, we believe that money invested in technology providers such as Health Call can be returned to the NHS rather than siphoned to overseas investors or profit-hungry global entities. From today, profit from every Health Call implementation will be reinvested into the NHS. What’s more, every new customer of our PEP solution will automatically have the option to become a shareholder. They too will then have a say on how Health Call’s products are developed and their future roadmap.”
This acquisition reinforces Northumbria’s commitment to delivering world-class healthcare through technology. Health Call’s solutions have already made a tangible difference to patients and clinicians in the region, and its solutions are primed for growth across the UK.
Health Call’s flagship solutions, including its VirtualCare remote monitoring platform, MyHealthCall PEP, and FormFinity digital questionnaire tool, have already demonstrated significant value within the NHS. These tools have enabled clinicians to manage care remotely, reduce hospital admissions, and enhance patient engagement through seamless digital interactions.
Founded in 2016 as a collaboration between seven NHS trusts in the North East, Health Call has been at the forefront of digital health, delivering cutting-edge technology to improve patient care, reduce costs, and enhance the NHS workforce experience. With Northumbria Healthcare now taking sole ownership, the company is poised to scale its operations and extend its reach beyond the region.
Northumbria Healthcare’s investment in Health Call builds upon its broader digital strategy, which includes the digitisation of millions of patient records and the introduction of innovative software solutions to streamline healthcare delivery. The trust has a strong track record of leveraging technology to enhance patient experience and clinical effectiveness, and this acquisition aligns with its long-term vision to create a digitally empowered NHS.
Looking ahead, Health Call invites NHS organisations across the country to explore shareholder opportunities through procuring its solutions.
With this acquisition, Health Call and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reaffirm their commitment to driving digital transformation in the NHS. Together, they will continue to develop solutions that empower patients, support healthcare professionals, and create a more sustainable healthcare system for the future.
