X-on acquired by Southern Communications Group

Cloud telephony specialist, X-on, has been acquired by Southern Communications Group (SCG) as it looks to expand its Surgery Connect product.

Surgery Connect is a cloud-based phone system for GP surgeries which includes features such as allowing doctors to all or text patients via the patient record and switch between phone and video consultations.

An estimated 11 million patients from 1,400 practices across England and Wales currently use X-on’s Surgery Connect. Recently the company says it has seen a “substantial increase” in primary care customers looking to upgrade to sophisticated cloud telephony systems, to replace ageing legacy phone systems.

Following the acquisition, X-on intends to expand its Surgery Connect primary care market with growth funding from parent group SCG.

Co-founder and marketing director of X-on, Paul Heeren, said: “Our commitment to evolving our platform with GPs and practice managers, as key stakeholders in the development process, is the key ingredient here.”

Plans for X-on’s cloud communications system include expanding to the integrated care systems (ICSs) that are being developed in England. The acquisition will also allow it to develop innovative new products and services using new technology areas such as AI.

Paul Bradford, chief executive of SCG, said: “X-on has an incredible presence in the primary care cloud telephony market, making it one of the strongest competitors in this space.

“Our acquisition supercharges X-on towards a new level of growth as the demand for cloud telephony in the primary care and wider healthcare markets continues to escalate. We see X-on as an unstoppable force in the future and its expansion will reach far beyond those markets.”

Last February X-on developed and launched an internet phone system for Covid-19 vaccination appointments, supporting the organisations co-ordinating the programme.