iSoft lands Spanish health deal

Accountancy "irregularities" persist

iSoft, a company dogged with questions over accountancy practices, has won a major contract to revamp the health systems of a Spanish county.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services for the Spanish region of Cantabria is paying iSoft to design and manage software for hospital tests at all centres within the region's health service.

The project is in collaboration with local companies Indesis Consultoría Sanitaria and Loarco Sistemas. The iSoft software will be introduced at three hospitals and in primary healthcare centres.

About 500,000 people live in the area.

The software allows workers to monitor all requests for tests from medical professionals, regardless of whether they originate in hospitals or primary healthcare centres.

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In July iSoft admitted it was investigating "possible accounting irregularities" in its company. The initial independent investigation concluded "there is evidence of irregularities affecting the financial years ended 30 April 2004 and 2005".

Steve Graham, the commercial director between 2004 and 2005 - the period during which the "irregularties" occurred - has been suspended until the investigation is over.

Earlier this year iSoft announced it was laying off 10 per cent of staff and revising accounts, in the wake of troubles with the multi-billion-pound upgrade of the NHS IT system.