BJSS secures NHS Scotland contract in first announced win since CGI acquisition

CGI's acquisition of BJSS is already paying off, with the first major contract win under the combined entity being announced just over four months after the deal's completion. BJSS, now part of CGI, has secured a £27.8 million three-year contract to be the 'Digital Front Door' (DFD) Delivery Partner for NHS Education for Scotland (NES). The BJSS name now no longer exists as a distinct brand however, so whilst the contract was won under that name (and BJSS and CGI ran in parallel for four months), company integration finalised at the start of July and so the work will be taken forward under the CGI name.

The DFD platform delivers on a key commitment from the Scottish Government's Programme for Government and aims to give people in Scotland straightforward online access to personalised health and care information across primary, secondary and social care, community mental health, screening, and vaccinations. The initial phase will focus on selected specialties within NHS Lanarkshire, with dermatology among the specialties where patients will be able to track their care and treatment progress online, before expanding to a nationwide rollout.

This substantial win demonstrates the commercial impact of CGI's BJSS acquisition, particularly given the latter's growing prominence in NHS digital services. Just months earlier, BJSS (as was) had secured a £37.5 million contract with NHS England to help develop the NHS App (see NHS England awards key digital contracts), positioning the company as a key partner in NHS digital transformation across the UK.

This contract win illustrates CGI's strengthened position in the health sector following the BJSS acquisition. As we highlighted when the deal was announced (see CGI to buy BJSS: UK headcount boost of 40% | TechMarketView), BJSS brought substantial health sector credentials to CGI, with health revenues nudging the £100m mark. While this contract was secured by BJSS, it is clear that BJSS has brought CGI enhanced capabilities to compete for complex health transformation projects, as represented by this DFD contract.

The timing of this win fits well with CGI's broader health sector strategy. In our recent analysis of CGI's UK public sector performance (see Public sector supplier prospects 2025 and beyond | TechMarketView), we noted that FY24 was the company's first full year in Health & Social Care, securing £65m of orders and already achieving £78m of orders in Q1 FY25. The BJSS acquisition has accelerated this momentum, providing both additional technical capabilities and established client relationships in the health sector.

This contract also reinforces CGI's strong positioning in Scotland, where it has built long-term relationships with major local authorities including extended contracts with City of Edinburgh Council until 2029, Scottish Borders Council until 2040, and Glasgow City Council until 2030. The addition of BJSS capabilities enhances CGI's ability to deliver comprehensive digital transformation across both the local government and health sectors in Scotland.

The DFD win demonstrates BJSS's – and now CGI's – continued strength in the NHS digital market following the acquisition. With CGI now positioned as a key NHS digital partner across both England and Scotland, this first announced victory provides a solid foundation for future growth in what remains a priority market for CGI.

Posted by: Georgina O'Toole at 09:00

Tags: nhs   contract   health   healthcare   IT+services