Sysgroup Regulatory News (SYS)

Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of that jurisdiction

5 May 2011

System C Healthcare plc

("System C" or the "Company")

Contract with Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

System C announces that the Company has signed a contract with Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust ("Gateshead Health") for the deployment and operation of a core strategic patient administration and electronic patient record (PAS/EPR) system.

Under the terms of the contract, the Company will supply Gateshead Health with its Medway suite of patient administration and clinical software for a minimum seven year period. The software will underpin the delivery of a full range of local acute services for elective and emergency care across the Gateshead area, as well as providing specialist services for people from the wider region.

Gateshead Health employs 3,390 people and has an annual income of £182m. Medway will be used by around 2,500 of the trust's clinical and administrative staff.

This contract is one of six the Company was shortlisted for at the time of its half-year report, published in January. It is the culmination of a six month OJEU procurement process against a wide range of competitor suppliers.

Ian Denley, Chief Executive Officer of System C, said: "This contract win is another significant endorsement of the Medway product suite and a tribute to the teams that work so hard developing and deploying our systems."

For further information, contact:

The directors of System C accept responsibility for the information contained in this Announcement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of System C (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case) the information contained in this announcement is in accordance with the facts.

Charles Stanley Securities, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the FSA is acting exclusively for System C and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than System C for providing the protections afforded to clients of Charles Stanley Securities nor for giving advice in relation to the Acquisition or any matter or arrangement referred to in this announcement.

The distribution of this Announcement in jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by the laws of those jurisdictions and therefore persons into whose possession this Announcement comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with any such restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This Announcement does not constitute an offer or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities pursuant to this Announcement or otherwise in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. This Announcement has been prepared in connection with proposals in relation to a scheme of arrangement pursuant to and for the purpose of complying with the laws of England and Wales, the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the "City Code") and the Rules of the London Stock Exchange and information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been prepared in accordance with the laws of any jurisdiction outside England. Nothing in this Announcement should be relied on for any other purpose.

Dealing Disclosure requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the City Code, any person who is interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any paper offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an "Opening Position Disclosure" following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any paper offeror is first identified.

An "Opening Position Disclosure" must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror(s). An "Opening Position Disclosure" by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) of the City Code applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any paper offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a paper offeror prior to the deadline for making an "Opening Position Disclosure" must instead make a "Dealing Disclosure".

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the City Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in one per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any paper offeror must make a "Dealing Disclosure" if the person deals in any relevant securities of System C or of any paper offeror. A "Dealing Disclosure" must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any paper offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A "Dealing Disclosure" by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of System C or a paper offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

"Opening Position Disclosures" must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and "Dealing Disclosures" must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the City Code).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities "Opening Position Disclosures" and "Dealing Disclosures" must be made can be found in the "Disclosure Table" on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. If you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an "Opening Position Disclosure" or a "Dealing Disclosure", you should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

Terms in quotation marks are defined in the Takeover Code, which can also be found on the Panel's website.