Healthcare IT solutions and services specialists McKesson UK and web-based expense solutions provider Point Progress have partnered to offer an expenses system that is specifically designed for NHS organisations across England and Wales.

DX Expenses is an electronic expenses system that will help Trusts to improve back office efficiencies to deliver cost savings to the NHS, as prescribed by NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson in his recent letter addressed to Chief Executives of NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts. In addition, the system will provide a record of every expenses claim, improving control and enabling the Trust to identify trends and discover ways to reduce the expenses incurred by employees.

For staff, the system introduces fairness, transparency and accuracy to the expenses process by giving them visibility of every stage, from the entry of the claim onto the expenses system to its approval and entry onto the payroll system, including the date on which it will be paid. This will also reduce the number of enquiries from staff regarding expenses, enabling the expenses department to concentrate on its core activities.

Point Progress has been working with the NHS for nearly eight years, and has developed the system specifically for the NHS based on its excellent understanding of the NHS expenses policy and the specific needs of NHS organisations.

DX Expenses expands McKesson's Shared Services offering, which is currently delivered to more than 107,000 members of NHS staff, and completes McKesson's electronic payroll suite for the NHS. The electronic expenses system is a natural extension of shared services in the payroll department, and will further the streamlining of processes to deliver efficiencies, improve the accuracy of payroll and reduce costs in the administration of the payroll function.

The Point Progress system seamlessly interfaces with the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) - the world's largest integrated HR and Payroll system - to produce an automated workflow that ensures the accurate and timely payment of expenses. ESR was delivered by a consortium led by McKesson in April 2008, and today pays over 1.3 million NHS employees. In the same vein as ESR, the electronic expenses system is a hosted solution, removing installation and maintenance worries and issues from the NHS. It adheres to the same rules, regulations and guidelines as ESR, making it a logical and trusted mechanism for NHS expenses handling.

Matt Searles, Sales Manager at McKesson UK, says, "There is a good synergy between McKesson and Point Progress. Both companies have a longstanding reputation for excellence in healthcare product innovation and service delivery, as well as an established customer base in the NHS that will benefit the partnership."

An additional feature of the system is the ability to submit an expenses claim using a mobile phone. This is particularly beneficial to employees that spend a lot of time away from the office, and who accumulate significant expenses on the road, such as regional district nurses. As the Inland Revenue does not require an original receipt for expenses, the employee can simply send a photo of their receipt to Head Office with a covering note in a Multi Media Message (MMS) format, and this is entered into the system.

Richard Coope, Managing Director of Point Progress, says, "There are many benefits of moving to an electronic system, particularly in the NHS where it is important that clinical staff are not unduly burdened with administrative tasks. By making the process of creating expense claims simple through the use of DX.Expenses, we have enabled staff to stay in control of their expenses with the peace of mind that they have followed the correct procedures and policy requirements. This leaves them with the ability to concentrate on their core activities and deliver quality patient care."

Adrian Wookey, VP Service Delivery at McKesson UK, says, "Public sector organisations are taking a close look at their expenses procedures at the moment, following the recent investigation into MPs' expenses and as they try to identify ways to increase efficiencies in their back office systems. NHS organisations in particular are being encouraged to look at how they can quickly realise efficiency gains in the administration of the business. The partnership between McKesson and Point Progress has come at a great time for Trusts, and we are delighted to be able to offer existing and new customers a solution with the credibility that they have come to expect from McKesson."

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