A Lancashire company that converts paper documents into digital files has hit £1m turnover and is targeting £2.5m by the end of 2021.
Scan House Solutions in Accrington was founded in August 2017 by Simon Holroyd and works across a range of sectors including the NHS, local authorities, professional services, retail and manufacturing.
The company scans in excess of 120 million images a year and grew its workforce by 12 people in 2020 to 34.
By March 2021 it will expand its service into a 24/7 operation and intends to recruit another 16 roles by the end of the year.
Scan House Solutions has seen a huge spike in demand from GP practices needing to turn old patient records – known as Lloyd George envelopes – into digital files.
The pouches, which are named after the former post-World War One prime minister, contain the paper information regarding a patient’s health history but they take up a lot of space and are difficult to share if a patient moves.
Digital transition consultant Jeff Chapman said: “Currently 25 per cent of our work relates to scanning of Lloyd George records, but we anticipate this will double in the next 12 months to 50 per cent.
“GP practices have a number of reasons to digitise their patient records, including creating additional clinical space by removing bulky stacks of paper. There is also the need to reduce the risk of lost, stolen or damaged records and ensure patients’ medical information is kept safe.
“Having medical records digitised means a patient’s medical records can be located in a simple search and shared with other care providers immediately. A patient can then see their own health history and keep a record of it.”
Scan House Solutions has been working with Preston-based tech agency Redmoor Health on the digitisation of the Lloyd George envelopes at practises in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Marc Schmid, founder of Redmoor Health, said: “The Lloyd George programme will provide many benefits, not just in how patients and clinicians can access information but also in the way the NHS can manage its estates and turn dusty storage rooms into clinical rooms, video and multi-team hubs and other exciting uses.
“We’ve been involved in supporting practices with Lloyd George digitisation in different parts of the country and have been really impressed with the work Scan House Solutions has been doing in this space.”
Scan House convert paper documents into digital files using state-of-the-art data capture equipment.
In addition to digitalising Lloyd George envelopes they also digitalise HR files, council records, credit and loyalty card application forms; direct debit mandates; patient records including x-rays; legal documents; student records; paper archives; historical manuscripts; books; and invoices
Jeff Chapman said: “With the implications of people working from home we anticipate the number of images we scan will increase in excess of 30 per cent in the next 12 months.”