London, 13 September 2006 -

Atos Origin, a leading IT services company, today announced that it has successfully implemented the initial stage of the ePharmacy Programme for the Scottish Executive Health Department. The Minor Ailment Service (MAS), which is fully underpinned by an IT support programme (eMAS) went live in all pharmacies throughout Scotland on 1st July 2006. In the two months since going live, 500,000 people - 10% of Scotland’s population - have registered for the service and pharmacies have processed over 95,000 electronic reimbursement claims to NHS National Services Scotland (NSS).

eMAS is the first of three elements of the new community pharmacy contract in Scotland with IT support being deployed under the ePharmacy Programme, designed to underpin the implementation of the new community pharmacy contract in Scotland. Atos Origin managed the change programme on behalf of the Scottish Executive Health Department and provided the core technology infrastructure, which allows messages to be transmitted from pharmacies to the NSS registration and payment systems.

The core components of the technology platform, jointly developed and managed by Atos Origin and NSS, include an N3 network connection to every pharmacy in Scotland, a central ePharmacy Message Store, a central Patient Registration System, system applications for the new contract (GP and Pharmacy) and an ePay functionality within NSS. Technical support for the Acute Medication Service (eAMS) and Chronic Medication Service (eCMS) will follow during 2007, connecting the entire GP practice and pharmacy communities.

Alison Strath, principal pharmaceutical officer at the Scottish Executive Health Department, said:

"The launch of the Minor Ailment Service element of the new community pharmacy contract has been extremely successful thanks to the ePharmacy Programme. The electronic support for the service (eMAS) has meant that community pharmacists have been able to concentrate on providing care to their patients instead of worrying about the administration underpinning registration and payment processing. Feedback from the community pharmacists and NHS Boards involved in the initial pilots who did have to use paper based systems endorses this fact. This has given everyone involved in pharmacy in Scotland the confidence to move forward with the next stages of the programme."

NHSScotland has established a team of community pharmacy Information Management & Technology facilitators across each of the Boards to help support pharmacists and their staff in the use of eMAS. NSS has set up an ePharmacy helpdesk and registrations team to support eMAS.

Dave Atherton, Vice President Health, Atos Origin, UK, said: "This is a true example of a successful working partnership to implement a step-change programme on a national basis. The enormous volume of registrations and consultations since the launch verifies the huge success story that eMAS has proven to be for the PMR systems suppliers, community pharmacists, NHSScotland and, most importantly, patients. The team of facilitators and the NSS helpdesk have undoubtedly been critical elements in the successful roll-out of eMAS."

About Atos Origin

Atos Origin is an international information technology services company. Its business is turning client vision into results through the application of consulting, systems integration and managed operations. The company’s annual revenues are more than EUR 5,5 billion and it employs over 47,000 people in 40 countries. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games and has a client base of international blue-chip companies across all sectors. Atos Origin is quoted on the Paris Eurolist Market and trades as Atos Origin, Atos Euronext Market Solutions, Atos Worldline and Atos Consulting.

For further information, contact:

Marie-Tatiana Collombert

Tel: +33 1 55 91 26 33

marie-tatiana.collombert@atosorigin.com

Anna Mitchell

Tel: +44 20 7878 3000

anna.mitchell@mslpr.co.uk