Silverlink acquires Digital Spark

Patient administration system supplier Silverlink has acquired health software developer Digital Spark.

Silverlink provides PAS systems to 13 trusts in England and will now develop and sell Digital Spark products.

Tim Quainton, the company’s managing director, said he hopes this will “widen and strengthen” SIlverlink’s portfolio.

"The acquisition is an opportunity to extend Silverlink’s healthcare IT strategy of providing modular, best-of-breed systems with Digital Sparks clinically-superior functionality,” he said.

“We are integrating the Digital Spark team into Silverlink to ensure the customer base receive full support and maintenance during the transition.”

Digital Spark delivered mobile solutions to NHS trusts. Its most prominent product was CaptureStroke, a data collection system that it was contracted to develop by the North of England Cardiovascular Network in 2011.

However, according to a letter sent to creditors, seen by EHI, Digital Spark went into administration earlier this month.

The letter says the company started to develop a cancer care product in June 2013, anticipating that funding would become available through the NHS. 

But after spending around £500,000 on the development, which was “only some 80% complete”, there was “no confirmed market” for it.

The letter says Digital Spark also had cash flow problems, which it tried to address with unsecured loans that did not solve the issues it was experiencing.

After assessing a number of options, it was decided to effect a sale via a pre-packaged administration. EHI understands that another party was involved in the sales negotiations, but Silverlink ended up acquiring the company.

Silverlink said in a statement that it will work closely with Digital Spark and its customers to ensure “business as usual” while the integration takes place.

Silverlink is also working with CommonTime to create mobile applications for its PAS system and to provide tools to capture, manage and submit information from any location using a standard smartphone or tablet.

Silverlink is working with three customers to create the mobile PAS application. The value of the Digital Spark acquisition is undisclosed.

Disclaimer: EHealth Media is one of Digital Spark’s unsecured creditors.