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Emmis Acquisition Corp.

emis · NASDAQ Financial Services
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Ticker emis
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Financial Services
Industry Financial - Credit Services
Employees 1001-5000
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FY2012 Annual Report · Emmis Acquisition Corp.
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Improves patient care

Increases  
efficiency

healthcare without 
boundaries

Connected

Secure

Consistent

Reliable

Interoperable

EMIS Group plcAnnual report and accounts 2012EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2012EMIS Group plc is transforming the 
face of healthcare delivery for GPs 
and other healthcare practitioners.

Our aim is to make good quality, 
timely, patient information available 
any time, any place, anywhere 
through interoperable systems.

In this report

p7

p8

p9

Delivering tablet 
consultations

ProScript software

GP appointment 
booking app

Business & financial overview

Financial statements

1  Operational highlights
2   Our business
4   Our products and strategy
6 
10  Finance review
12  Corporate social responsibility

 Chief Executive’s review

Governance

16  Board of Directors
18  Senior management and advisers
19  Corporate governance
23  Directors’ report
27 

 Directors’ remuneration report

Independent auditor’s report

29 
30  Group statement of 

comprehensive income
31  Group and parent company 

balance sheets

32  Group and parent company 

statements of changes in equity

33  Group and parent company 
statements of cash flows

34  Notes to the financial statements
IBC  Shareholder information

See more online 
www.emis-online.com 

“ EMIS Group was very busy again in 2012, 

in particular accelerating the roll-out to GPs 
of EMIS Web, our transformational healthcare 
system, and RX Systems continuing to grow 
its estate.” 

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Interim Chief Executive

Financial highlights

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Total revenue

Adjusted operating profit(1)

Recurring revenue

£86.3m

£22.8m

+18%

+10%

£69.4m

+14%

Adjusted EPS(1) from continuing operations

Proposed dividend

Total dividend for the year

30.76p

+11%

7.1p

+15%

14.2p

+15%

(1) Excludes exceptional items and capitalised development costs and adds back all amortisation charged in the year. For EPS calculations also adjusts for the related tax impact.

Operational highlights(1)

UK GP software market leading 
position maintained:

New Group HQ successfully refurbished 
and occupied

 - UK market share 51.2% (5,113 GP practices) 

(2011: 51.6% (5,247 GP practices))

Transformation of healthcare delivery 
in the UK opening up new markets:

EMIS Web GP roll-out transitioned 
from controlled to accelerated status 
and by the year end:

 - 1,635 GP practices live (2011: 360) 

 - 1,252 unfulfilled orders (2011: 1,565) 

 - 2,564 practices in the EMIS Web GP familiarisation 

service (2011: 2,359)

RX Systems: 

 - High street pharmacy numbers increased 
to 4,595 pharmacies (market share 34.8%) 
(2011: 4,338 pharmacies, 34.4%) 

 - Electronic Prescription Service (EPSR2) successfully 

rolled out into nearly all of its estate 

 - EMIS Web Community Care, Child Health and 

Mental Health (CCMH) pathfinder projects 
progressing and development and commercial 
focus now in hand

 - EMIS Web Mobile developed and launched

 - EMIS IQ GP Extraction Service (GPES) contract 
successfully delivered in line with milestones

 - Healthcare Gateway beginning to gain traction 

as pilots move to full agreements

(1)  EMIS and RX Systems data estimated based on company records showing 

customers installed as at 31 December 2012. 31 December 2011 data for 

GP practices has been restated to exclude 150 practices where EMIS 

software was ordered but not installed as at that date.

www.emis-online.com
www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc
Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

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Business & financial overview

Our business

Our core objective is to profitably improve the health 
of communities by developing systems to help clinicians 
and others involved in patient care to create and 
mobilise each patient’s electronic healthcare record.

An integrated care ecosystem

Our business provides 
a range of services 
across healthcare

Patient Services

Healthcare 
Record Systems

EMIS Web allows primary, secondary 
and community healthcare practitioners 
to view and contribute to a patient’s 
cradle-to-grave healthcare record. 
This can improve patient care and 
increases efficiency.

Patient.co.uk is the UK’s leading independent 
health information and healthcare transactional site. 
It helps patients play a key part in their 
own care with an information library, 
health apps, online and mobile services 
such as GP appointment booking and 
repeat prescription ordering. 

Healthcare Gateway facilitates the sharing of 
patient data via the medical interoperability 
gateway (MIG). EMIS IQ meets the 
demand for high quality clinical 
and management information 
to support the national General 
Practice Extraction Service (GPES).

Data Sharing

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Business & financial overview

“ EMIS Web has revolutionised our lives, saved an enormous amount of time 
and undoubtedly made the journey in and out of hospital much safer for 
patients. We have also been able to improve communication with GPs 
about changes to patients’ therapy while they are in hospital.” 

Lynn Bruce 
Pharmacy Team Leader, Medical Assessment Unit, Royal Blackburn Hospital

UK market share

UK GP software*

51.2%

UK Pharmacy software

34.8%

Pharmacy

RX Systems is a major supplier of software to 
pharmacists. The ProScript software is the most 
widely used community pharmacy dispensary 
management system in the UK, efficiently 
managing the dispensary process, 
labelling and endorsing patient records, 
ordering and stock control. 

Egton specialises in the supply of ICT 
infrastructure, application software, 
hosting and value added services 
to healthcare and other public and 
private sector organisations.

Find out more about 
Emis Web online at  
www.emis-online.
com/emis-web

Hardware

*If you include orders for our systems that have not yet been deployed, our market share is slightly higher at 53.7%

www.emis-online.com

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Business & financial overview

Our products and strategy

Our products, positioning and initiatives are aligned 
perfectly with the goals of the NHS. They offer us access 
to substantial medium and long-term growth opportunities 
whilst allowing us to help the NHS to do more for less.

Patient records

We estimate that over 
half of all patient records in 
GP practices are stored in 
software supplied by EMIS.
These records contain a complete medical 
history and they build from birth. They are unique.

No similar record exists in hospitals or clinics 
elsewhere. Yet the data contained within 
them would be hugely valuable if it were 
more broadly accessible. The efficiency gains 
would be enormous, avoiding duplicated 
effort as well as removing delay, which is 
costly in both time and quality of outcome.

Core products

General practice

Pharmacies

Specialist care

EMIS Web for GPs is progressively 
replacing our LV and PCS products in 
England and Wales. During 2013 we will 
continue to develop the existing PCS 
product in Scotland. This will also involve 
looking at local and national requirements 
for next generation technologies across 
the NHS in Scotland. 

EMIS mobile technology will be an area 
of growth across all our care settings.

Rx Systems’ ProScript is EMIS Group’s 
Pharmacy management product. This year 
sees the launch of medicines management 
services integrated with EMIS GP products. 
Over the longer term, ProScript will be 
replaced with a next generation product 
as we bring pharmacies and GPs even 
closer together.

Community care

EMIS Group already has pathfinder EMIS 
Web installations for Community Care and 
Child Care with a number of its enterprise 
healthcare partners realising the benefits 
of the integration with GPs conferred by 
the EMIS Web Ecosystem. These products 
are being developed and commoditised 
by a new business unit within EMIS 
to bring focus into this market. 

As the demographics of the baby boom 
years take effect and long-term conditions 
become more prevalent, this market is 
evolving to support care pathways which 
span primary and secondary care 
organisations, as part of integrated care 
provision. EMIS Group will produce specialist 
care pathways and tools to assist with, for 
example, diabetic care, COPD and cystic 
fibrosis keeping to its core principles of not 
only sharing data across multiple services 
but creating intelligent clinical support tools 
that deliver improved healthcare, efficiency 
and scalability for clinical services.

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Business & financial overview

“ For the first time, I will have complete information on how we are performing 
across the whole group practice. EMIS Web is essential to us in bringing 
all the information and work processes together so that we can develop 
and improve services. We certainly expect to make economies of scale, 
improve clinical governance and streamline care as we share templates  
and protocols among all of the staff.” 

Yvonne Waddingham 
Practice Manager, Pelham Medical Group, Grimsby

Support products

Data services

Hardware services

Interoperability tools

EMIS IQ’s data services are essential for 
EMIS to support customer and governmental 
policies around ‘Open Data’. This market 
is moving beyond supportive data extraction 
into data analytical services and provision 
of tools to effect clinical change.

These supportive services, usually 
provided under our Egton brand, have 
moved beyond just selling hardware into 
installing and supporting (via a national 
network of support engineers) hosting 
and networks and these services are 
likely to grow across EMIS Group. 

EMIS Connect and the MIG are essential 
supporting components for our modern core 
products and help ‘glue together’ not only 
elements of the EMIS Group ecosystem 
but also other parts of NHS IT.

c tr u m   o f

  h e a l thcare delivery in the U

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The spectrum of healthcare  
delivery in the UK stretches from  
GPs on one side (primary care) to acute  
hospitals on the other (secondary care). In between are a  
myriad of other specialised services and niches, some delivered  
through community care programmes, others through very targeted  
services and facilities. The vision of the NHS is for all of these contributors  
to healthcare provision to be connected and to be able to utilise patient data in  
a way that maximises operational efficiency and optimises the quality of patient  
outcomes. As the provider of the key technologies that store and deliver access to the  
richest vein of patient data, the GP record, EMIS is perfectly positioned to play a leading  
part in the journey to “connect all”, which is the NHS goal. EMIS may in some cases act simply  
as a data repository and access provider. It can do much more, however. Its outstanding track 
record in application software design and delivery makes it a prime candidate to deliver elegant 
and seamless connectivity between disparate operations by building software that automates 
activity at each end of the various connections that will be constructed over future years.

www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

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Business & financial overview

Chief Executive’s review

EMIS Group’s core objective 
is to improve patient care 
by helping clinicians to create 
and mobilise each patient’s 
electronic healthcare record.

EMIS Group, through its subsidiary companies 
EMIS and RX Systems, is a major provider of 
healthcare software, information technology 
and services in the UK. EMIS is the UK GP 
software market leader with 51.2% (2011: 51.6%) 
of UK GP practices. RX Systems provides 
healthcare IT, software and services to 34.8% 
(2011: 34.4%) of UK high street pharmacies.

EMIS Group’s core objective is to improve the 
health of communities by developing systems 
to help clinicians and others involved in patient 
care to create and mobilise each patient’s 
electronic healthcare record. Through EMIS 
Web and its other products, the Group 
is continuing to make significant progress 
towards the delivery of cross-organisational, 
integrated healthcare systems: an objective 
completely aligned with NHS strategy.

In 2013 and beyond, EMIS Group expects to 
assist with and benefit from the “connect all” 
healthcare strategies being pursued throughout 
the UK with information sharing being widely 
seen as the key to better care outcomes and 
reduced cost. With effect from April 2013 these 
policies will start to be driven forward in England 
by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) 
along with the NHS Commissioning Board 
(NHS CB). 

The roll-out of EMIS Web to GPs and 
other products and initiatives represent 
substantial medium and long-term growth 
opportunities for the Group.

Business and financial review
EMIS GP Systems(1)

EMIS’s overall UK GP market share remained 
broadly unchanged at 51.2% (5,113 GP 
practices) (2011: 51.6% (5,247 GP practices)). 
The user base remains loyal and over 70% 
of EMIS UK GP practices have used an EMIS 
system for over ten years, reflecting the quality 
of EMIS’s offering. This was achieved despite 
continuing practice consolidation and 
competitor activity.

Discussions about the renewal of the English 
GPSoC Framework continue. As the formal 
re-procurement has not yet been initiated, 
clear indications have been given that the 
previous framework will be deemed to remain 
in place to secure vital continuity of service 
pending the formal tender process. Similar 
indications have been given relating to 
Northern Ireland. 

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Business & financial overview

Comberton Surgery, Cambridgeshire

Delivering tablet consultations 
with EMIS Mobile.

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We consider EMIS Mobile an essential tool for any GP on the move who 
is looking after patients in nursing or residential homes. The user interface 
is superb – I would say outstanding. It is practical and user friendly with 
clean, easily readable navigation. I like the functionality; it is easy to move 
around the patient record, and synchronisation is simple. In fact, EMIS 
Mobile is completely intuitive to use – I know that I could give it to a 
technophobe colleague and they would be using it within minutes. 
Security is very important for all GPs and the encryption feature makes 
it very safe for us.”

Key benefits:
Access patient records 
on the move

Add consultations

Check appointment 
schedules and user diary

Dr Alan Mills
Partner, Comberton Surgery, Cambridgeshire

In Scotland EMIS’s system is one of only two 
available to GPs and the deployed 517 practices 
(51% of the market) are generating a recurring 
revenue stream of £2m per annum. To support 
these customers, a Scottish field-based 
engineering team was recruited in the final 
quarter of 2012. In February 2013 EMIS opened 
a Scottish hub office. This will also form the 
base for developers to enhance the Group’s 
Scottish products for the GP, CCMH and 
other integrated markets in the country. 

The withdrawal of iSoft from the UK Primary 
Care market led to considerable sales activity 
and required additional resources aimed at 
capitalising on the opportunity for iSoft practices 
to join EMIS. This was especially focussed 
on Wales where not only did iSoft hold 14.5% 
of the market but also EMIS was awarded one 
of only two Framework Agreements for the 
supply of a managed EMIS Web GP service 
solution. EMIS expects to win a significant 
number of the 492 iSoft practices across 
the UK. 

EMIS Web GP

Throughout 2012, EMIS accelerated the roll-out 
to GPs of EMIS Web, its transformational 
healthcare IT system. There were 1,635 GP 
practices using EMIS Web by the end of the 
year (2011: 360). The EMIS Web Familiarisation 
Service (provided for those practices planning 
to upgrade to EMIS Web) was, at the year end, 
installed in 2,564 practices (2011: 2,359). 
In total there were 1,252 unfulfilled orders for 
EMIS Web GP by the end of 2012; this figure 
now stands at 1,200. 

Maximum sustained delivery capability remains 
in the order of 200 EMIS Web practices per 
month. Taking into account seasonal and other 
factors the average is likely to be similar to that 
in the second half of 2012 and EMIS expects 
to have deployed substantially all of its 
outstanding EMIS Web GP order book 
by the end of 2013.

A mobile version of EMIS Web was completed, 
tested and released in early 2013. This enables 

GPs and those in CCMH and other integrated 
care settings to access the core elements 
of EMIS Web on a tablet device when away 
from their clinical base. 

EMIS Web CCMH

The ongoing EMIS Web pathfinder projects, 
integrating other healthcare services with EMIS’ 
GP systems (in particular in CCMH), generally 
progressed well through 2012 and successfully 
demonstrated the clinical benefits of the Group’s 
integrated solutions. The procurement hiatus 
created by the move from Primary Care Trusts 
(PCTs) to CCGs is having some impact on 
the level of revenues and new contract wins 
in this part of the business, although this is 
expected to be largely resolved during 2013. 
EMIS has made some internal changes to 
sharpen focus, including recruiting a Head 
of CCMH and continued refinement of the 
product offerings. This will position the Group 
well to benefit from the coming market 
opportunities in this area.

(1)  EMIS and RX Systems data estimated based on company records showing customers installed as at 31 December 2012. 31 December 2011 data for GP 

practices has been restated to exclude 150 practices where EMIS software was ordered but not installed as at that date.

www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

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Business & financial overview

Chief Executive’s review continued

Day Lewis Pharmacy, Isle of Wight

ProScript software is the most widely 
used community pharmacy dispensary 
management system in the UK.

ProScript provides a number of features that make 
the dispensing process much easier to manage, such as 
retrieving the balance of a prescription owing to the patient, 
and printing of repeat requests for patients. We also like the 
nomination procedure for EPS Release 2, which is very 
accessible. And the colour-coded screens help with 
identifying key information on patients with particular 
conditions and with repeat management items.”

Carmel Conroy
Pharmacist, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Isle of Wight

RX Systems 

RX Systems, whose ProScript software is 
the most widely used community pharmacy 
dispensary management system in the UK, 
had another successful year in which it 
continued to grow its user base to 4,595 
community pharmacies, 34.8% of the UK 
market (2011: 4,338 pharmacies, 34.4%). 
RX’s underlying user base has increased 
by 6% over the last twelve months. 

RX also successfully rolled out EPSR2 in 
England (which enables prescribers, primarily 
GPs, to send prescriptions electronically 
to pharmacists) into nearly all of its estate. 
During the year a pharmacy message broker 
was developed by EMIS and rapidly deployed 
by EMIS and RX into approximately 4,000 RX 
sites over three months. This message broker 
functionality was previously licensed from 
a third party and will increase the level of 
business intelligence resident within the 
ProScript application. 

During the second half of 2012, negotiations 
took place with Multepos Computer Systems 
Limited, the pharmacy retail systems supplier 
in which RX Systems already held a 25% 
shareholding, and, on 14 January 2013, 

the remaining shares were acquired for a 
cash consideration of £0.8 million, financed 
from the Group’s existing cash resources. 

Healthcare Gateway 

Healthcare Gateway Limited (HGL) is a 50:50 
joint venture company, established with INPS 
in 2010, to facilitate the sharing of patient data 
via a medical interoperability gateway (MIG). 
2012 saw considerable commercial progress 
by HGL. This was reflected in the final quarter 
of 2012 with the execution of nine MIG contracts 
for the delivery of Detailed Care Record and 
Electronic Clinical Correspondence services. 
HGL customer locations reflect strong EMIS 
and INPS GP system penetration areas 
and are clustered predominantly in the North 
West of England and London. However, in 
January 2013, the remaining GP suppliers 
also indicated their intention to make the data 
from their systems available through the MIG 
which would offer access to virtually all Primary 
Care data in every part of the UK.

contract with the NHS Information Centre 
to provide a secure data extraction service 
to support the national General Practice 
Extraction Service (GPES). GPES is a centrally 
managed system that obtains information from 
GP practices across England for specific, 
approved purposes, using robust information 
governance principles to ensure patient 
confidentiality and privacy.

Patient.co.uk

Patient.co.uk, a patient information website 
to help patients play a key part in their own 
care, redesigned its site, developed a new 
underlying technology platform, and launched 
a social media strategy. This led to a 42% 
growth in total visits to the site for 2012 
compared with 2011. In January 2013, the 
site had 5m unique visitors and 11m page 
impressions. 2012 also saw the development 
and release of several patient-focussed apps: 
the first app reaching number one in the 
iTunes health app store.

EMIS IQ

Board

EMIS IQ, the division established to 
meet the demand for high-quality clinical 
and management information, successfully 
delivered against the milestones under its 

Following the year end, Sean Riddell, Chief 
Executive of EMIS Group, indicated his intention 
to retire from his full-time executive role to 
focus on his family commitments. Sean will 

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GP, Shepherds Bush

First GP appointment 
booking app launched.

Enables patients to:

Order repeat prescriptions

Securely message their practice

Update personal details e.g.  
change of address

Over a third (39%) of visits to the Patient.co.uk 
site are now via mobile device. As a working GP, 
this isn’t surprising to me – more and more of 
my patients are seeking out new ways, often 
involving technology, to manage their health. 
Booking GP appointments and ordering repeat 
prescriptions quickly and easily via an app 
is a significant development that is absolutely 
in tune with modern living.”

Dr Sarah Jarvis
Clinical consultant at Patient.co.uk, 
and a GP in Shepherds Bush, London

formally step down from his executive role 
from 21 March 2013, but will remain on the 
Board as a non-executive Director to ensure 
a smooth transition of responsibilities and 
retention of his sector experience. 

Chris Spencer, with effect from 21 March 2013, 
becomes Chief Executive on an interim basis; 
he joined the Board to work alongside Sean 
as Joint Chief Executive in early February 2013. 
Chris joined EMIS in 1999 and his recent roles 
have included those of Chief Administrative 
Officer, Group Counsel and Company Secretary. 
He has been a member of EMIS’s senior 
management strategy forum since 1999. 

The Board has begun a recruitment process 
to select a permanent successor for Sean, 
with both external and internal candidates 
being considered. 

Andy McKeon was also appointed as a new 
non-executive Director on 4 February 2013. 
Andy has enjoyed a long and distinguished 
career in the senior echelons of the Department 
of Health and the NHS and has broad 
knowledge of the healthcare IT sector. 
He is a non-executive director of the National 
Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). 
Andy’s appointment ensures an appropriate 

balance of Directors on the Board and adds 
relevant skills and expertise. 

Ethos and People

Throughout an extended period of recruitment, 
EMIS Group has, through selection and training, 
maintained its “healthcare first” ethos and 
reputation. The Board is pleased with progress 
and performance to date, and thanks all 
employees for their innovation, commitment 
and hard work. Without them this year’s 
acceleration of the EMIS Web GP roll-out 
could not have been achieved. 

Summary and Outlook

EMIS Group continues to trade in line with 
the Board’s expectations, with continuing 
strong revenue visibility. 

Maintaining the accelerated roll-out 
of EMIS Web GP through 2013 remains 
the primary focus for both the sales and 
deployment resources whilst also capitalising 
on the announced withdrawal of iSoft from 
the Primary Care market. These drivers 
underpin expected strong growth in 
revenues during 2013 and beyond. 

The Board is encouraged by the prospects 
for RX Systems and, in the medium term, 

the ability of the Group to leverage its already 
strong market positioning in the GP marketplace 
to exploit further growth opportunities for 
EMIS Web CCMH, integrated care and other 
adjacent markets. The Group will maintain 
its considerable investment in development 
and other resource in these and other related 
areas through 2013 in order to take advantage 
of these opportunities. 

Overall, the Board believes the Group is 
making significant progress towards delivery 
of its strategic vision of cross-organisational 
healthcare systems.

Chris Spencer 
Interim Chief Executive
(from 21 March 2013)

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Business & financial overview

Financial review

The Group continued to make 
good progress during the year 
under review with double-digit 
percentage increases in key 
profitability metrics, achieved 
despite a significant increase in 
the cost base of the business.

The Group continued to make good progress 
during the year under review with double-digit 
percentage increases in key profitability metrics, 
achieved despite a significant increase in the 
cost base of the business. 

Operating profit for the year was £24.1m 
(2011: £21.5m) while adjusted operating profit 
as set out in the table opposite was £22.8m 
(2011: £20.8m).

Revenue
Group revenue from continuing operations 
increased by 18% to £86.3m (2011: £73.2m).

Group recurring revenue, principally licensing, 
software support and hosting was £69.4m 
(2011: £61.1m). This represented 80% of total 
revenue and underpins the ability of the business 
to invest with confidence in the future. 

Key drivers of growth within the EMIS 
business included the following:

 - hosting to NHS Connecting for Health 
standards (including incremental EMIS 
Web recurring revenues), which amounted 
to £9.0m (2011: £5.8m);

 - licences and software support, which 

increased to £31.5m (2011: £28.9m) due to 
additional revenues in deployment, CCMH 
and other integrated care and in Scotland;

 - hardware and training, which were driven 
primarily by a £2.0m increase in training 
revenues to £9.7m (2011: £7.5m); and

 - increases in other revenues which totalled 
£5.7m (2011: £3.5m), principally due to 
activity in the defence sector and data 
transfer revenues associated with the 
EMIS Web GP roll-out.

The growth in revenue and profit within RX 
Systems reflected the expansion of its estate 
over the year and also £1.6m of revenue 
associated with the roll-out of EPSR2, which 
was largely completed by the end of the year.

Profitability
Adjusted operating profit increased by 10% 
to £22.8m (2011: £20.8m) with increased 
contribution from both EMIS and RX Systems 
further to their growth in revenues. This was 
achieved despite a significant increase in the 
staff costs of the business as the Group scaled 
up for the accelerated roll-out of EMIS Web GP 
and also continued to invest in product 
enhancements for the future. Average staff 
numbers increased to 1,116 (2011: 898) with 
1,236 staff employed at the end of the year 
(2011: 972).

After accounting for capitalised development 
costs, the amortisation of intangibles and 
exceptional transaction costs of £0.4m (one-off 

professional costs incurred investigating the 
acquisition of complementary businesses), 
statutory operating profit was £24.1m 
(2011: £21.5m), an increase of 12%.

Taxation
The tax charge for the year of £4.6m is after 
taking into account a reduction in deferred tax 
provisions of £1.0m arising from a lowering 
of the future rate of corporation tax from 
26% to 23%.

Earnings per share (“EPS”)
Adjusted basic and diluted EPS increased 
by 11% to 30.76p and 30.71p respectively 
(2011: 27.69p for both measures). The statutory 
basic and diluted EPS from continuing operations 
were 32.55p and 32.50p (2011: 28.71p). 

Dividend
The Directors have adopted a progressive 
dividend policy. Subject to shareholder 
approval at the Annual General Meeting on 
30 April 2013, the Board proposes paying a 
final dividend of 7.1p (2011: 6.2p) per ordinary 
share on 3 May 2013 to shareholders on the 
register at the close of business on 19 April 
2013. This would make a total dividend of 
14.2p (2011: 12.4p) per ordinary share for 
2012, an increase of 15%, reflecting the 
growth in earnings and the Board’s 
confidence in the Group’s future prospects.

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Selected financial extracts (rounded)

Business & financial overview

2012

RX
£m

16.5 

3.0

—
0.8

3.8

EMIS
£m

69.8 

22.5

(5.3)
2.7

19.9

Total
£m

86.3 

25.5

(5.3)
3.5

23.7

(0.9)

22.8

2011

RX
£m

13.6 

1.6

—
0.9

2.5

EMIS
£m

59.6 

20.7

(3.8)
2.2

19.1

Total
£m

73.2 

22.3

(3.8)
3.1

21.6

(0.8)

20.8

Revenue

Segmental operating profit
Development costs 
capitalised
Amortisation of intangibles

Adjusted segmental 
operating profit

Group operating expenses

Adjusted operating 
profit(1)

Continuing operations:
EPS – reported
EPS – adjusted

(1) 2012 is adjusted to exclude exceptional transaction costs of £0.4m.

Cash flow
The principal movements in net cash were as follows:

Cash from operations:
Generated from continuing operations
Less: internal development costs capitalised

Discontinued operation
Contingent consideration for acquisition
Acquisition of property, plant & equipment and software
Net finance costs 
Transactions in own shares
Tax paid
Dividends paid

Change in net cash in the year

Net cash at end of year (note 32)

Pence

Pence

32.55
30.76

28.71
27.69

2012
£m

32.7
(5.3)

27.4

—
(0.8)
(12.8)
—
(1.8)
(4.6)
(7.7)

(27.7)

(0.3)

7.7

2011
£m

30.9
(3.8)

27.1

(0.8)
(0.2)
(6.2)
(0.1)
(0.9)
(5.6)
(6.9)

(20.7)

6.4

8.0

The Group typically has a seasonal cash flow 
profile, with stronger inflows in the first half 
reflecting annual licence renewals. 

Net cash flow generated from operations 
was consistent with the previous year at 
£27.4m (2011: £27.1m). Net capital expenditure 
increased to £12.8m (2011: £6.2m), driven 
primarily by investment in hosting assets, 
computer equipment and the Group’s new 

head office which was refurbished and 
occupied during the year. Since the year 
end, the Group has also acquired additional 
freehold premises in central Leeds, for a 
consideration of £1.5m, to consolidate and 
expand the existing leasehold premises used 
for warehousing, engineering services 
and hosting.

In addition, the Group’s Employee Benefit 
Trust spent a net £1.8m (2011: £0.9m) on 
acquiring shares in the market. After tax and 
dividends, net cash reduced by £0.3m to £7.7m 
(2011: £8.0m), comprised of cash of £11.1m 
and bank debt of £3.4m.

Peter Southby
Chief Financial Officer
20 March 2013

www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

11

 
 
 
Business & financial overview

Corporate social responsibility

Over 70 managers have during the year 
attended a professionally presented bespoke 
‘Leadership Essentials’ programme.

Highlights

 - Over 1,700 training sessions 
and meetings held online

 - Second employee free share offer

 - Accidents (excluding fleet) reduced 

by 11% in 2012

The company continues to be committed to 
building a sound Corporate Social Responsibility 
(CSR) framework. The EMIS Group Corporate 
Social Responsibility Policy covers the key 
areas of:

 - Employees

 - Health and Safety

 - Engagement with the Wider Community

 - Environment

 - Ethical Business Practices

Employees
Staff development and wellbeing are crucial 
to attracting and retaining the right people 
which, in turn, holds the key to the success 
of our business. In 2012, 406 new employees 
were recruited by a variety of means including 
a recruitment open day in Leeds city centre, 
working with local universities and engaging 
with local companies. 

To ensure our employees continue to 
develop their skills, over 70 managers have 
during the year attended a professionally 
presented bespoke “Leadership Essentials” 
programme. The course content covered 
areas such as effective communication 
and performance coaching. In 2013 work 
will continue to embed these core skills 
into the business and ensure our talented 
staff have the training, skills and support 
needed to drive the business forward.

A comprehensive online induction course is 
undertaken by all employees to gain a wider 
understanding of the business. This initial 
knowledge is further developed by regular 
monthly communications from the MD of 
each subsidiary company and the Chief 
Executive of the Group on the performance 
of the business and market and product 
updates. External technical courses are 
also attended where appropriate. 

There continued to be a wide variety of online 
e-learning solutions available to staff to allow 
them to develop technically and professionally. 
Over 1,700 training sessions and meetings 
were held on line in 2012, an increase 
of 32% on the previous year. 

After 12 months’ employment, all UK employees 
can participate in The EMIS Group plc Share 
Incentive Plan (the “SIP”). In November 2012, 
through the SIP, the company also made an 
offer of free shares to all employees who had 
been employed by the Group for twelve months 
on 31 August 2012. The number of free shares 
per employee was determined with reference 
to length of service and salary. 78% of those 
eligible took up the offer of the free shares. 

We are committed to developing the right 
working culture and offer a range of employee 
benefits including part-time working, flexible 
hours, a modern office environment, discounted 
gym memberships and travel cards. Work 
has commenced to ensure we meet our 
auto-enrolment requirements in 2013.

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Business & financial overview

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Neil Laycock speaks to all the managers 
on the Leadership Essentials course.

For the first time at Egton, we have taken on 
apprentices working in systems support, the 
service centre, procurement and administration. 
All are studying for qualifications.

Staff participating in the Give and Gain day.

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Employee diversity

32%

Male

Female

68%

Employee numbers

2012: 1,236

2011: 972

Health and safety
The company is committed to the promotion 
of a positive safety culture and there are well 
established systems and policies in place. 
Mandatory health and safety training was 
provided to all employees, starting on the 
induction course and then targeted as 
appropriate. Overall 342 employees were 
trained in 2012 as part of their induction 
and a further 457 other health and safety 
courses were taken during the year, many 
of them online.

All accidents and incidents are monitored and 
reviewed so that action can be taken where 
necessary. The reporting systems continue to 
be reviewed and improved. This has allowed 
analysis of the most common types of incident 
and the identification of any training requirements. 
Overall accidents (excluding fleet) reduced 
by 11% in 2012.

We have also been working with our insurers 
to reduce the number of minor fleet accidents. 
Online licence checks are performed for 
all company car drivers and a total of 447 
employees have been invited to complete 
a comprehensive online suite of fleet driving 
training and assessment.

We continue to work with an external 
occupational health specialist to ensure 
our employees have a safe and comfortable 
working environment. 

Community engagement
Employees engage in a wide range of 
activities to raise money for local and national 
charities. Some examples of this work are:

 - We entered a Spinathon to raise money 
for the British Paralympics Association.

 - Staff raised money for the Cystic Fibrosis 
Trust in the York 10k Corporate Challenge.

 - Dress down days have raised £2,500 

and supported a wide range of charities.

 - Money was raised for Myeloma UK 
by teams and individuals entering 
the Leeds Half Marathon.

 - Employees took part in Give and Gain Day 

2012, the UK’s only national day of employee 
volunteering. The project involved working 
with primary school children setting up a 
tag rugby tournament.

The company also makes a number 
of charitable donations each year.

www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

13

 
 
 
Business & financial overview

Corporate social responsibility continued

When we ask our employees what they 
like about working for EMIS they say: 

“ At EMIS I have the opportunity to work with some remarkably talented people”

“  One of the great things about working at EMIS has been the opportunity I have had to  
advance up the ladder”

“ I have worked at EMIS for eight years in my current role and no two days are the same”

“ I have always found my manager to be friendly and approachable with an open door policy”

Community engagement 
continued
The company continues to provide work 
experience, attends graduate recruitment fairs 
and has introduced the Egton apprenticeship 
scheme during the year. The company 
commenced work with Leeds City Council, 
Education Business Partnership, an initiative 
which seeks to reduce youth unemployment. 
In addition the company supported the local 
community from providing resources to being 
a sponsor of a community fun day. Our work 
with schools has ranged from providing 
introductions to the world of work to counting 
paper hats to break a world record.

The company has continued to work with 
Business in the Community (“BiTc”) on a 
wide range of activities throughout the year. 

Environment
As a responsible employer, the company is 
committed to the minimisation of waste and the 
reduction of the amount of energy consumed. 
Recycling, in particular of IT equipment, 
is encouraged wherever possible. Any disposal 
of IT waste is carried out in an appropriate 
manner in accordance with the Hazardous 
Waste Directive. Our IT waste disposal partners 
(ISO 14001 accredited) have disposed of over 
37 tonnes of IT waste on our behalf. On average 
146kg of cardboard is disposed of weekly and 
paper recycling has saved the equivalent of 
168 trees. During the year we became a 
member of the BiTc environmental index.

The company promotes a purchasing policy 
that gives preference, as far as practicable, 
to those products and services which cause 
the least harm to the environment. When 
conducting supplier reviews, the company 
ensures that all suppliers adhere, wherever 
possible, to recommended environmental 
policy regulations. The company continues 
to review the impact on the environment of 
business travel and joined the West Yorkshire 
Travel Plan network following the move to 
the new Group head office, Rawdon House, 
during the year. We will continue to work on 
schemes to reduce the impact of travel on 
the environment. The appointment in early 
2013 of a qualified Head of Property, Safety 
and Facilities will enable us to put further 
initiatives in place.

Ethical business practices
All the Group’s policies detail the standards 
expected throughout the Group, including 
free and fair competition, the prohibition 
of bribery, honest and fair dealing with 
suppliers and ensuring the welfare of 
workers and employment conditions 
within the supply chain meet or exceed 
internationally recognised standards. 
The Group has a Statement of Ethics 
and Whistleblowing Policy. All employees 
view a training session on the Bribery Act 
as part of their induction programme.

Trees saved in year 
by recycling paper

168

14

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2012

www.emis-online.com

In this section

16  Board of Directors
18  Senior management and advisers
19  Corporate governance
23  Directors’ report
27 
29 

 Directors’ remuneration report
Independent auditor’s report

30  Group statement of 

comprehensive income
31  Group and parent company 

balance sheets

32  Group and parent company 

statements of changes in equity

33   Group and parent company 
statements of cash flows

34   Notes to the financial statements
IBC  Shareholder information

This section includes our 
corporate governance and 
financial statement sections

As a responsible business,  
we recognise the value of  
effective governance 

Corporate governance

Board of Directors

Our Board has extensive experience across many 
sectors of the healthcare industry and their combined 
knowledge is integral to the success of EMIS.

L-R: Mike O’Leary, 
Peter Southby, Andy McKeon, 
Chris Spencer, Sean Riddell, 
Robin Taylor, Dr David Stables

Mike O’Leary (age 60) A, R, N(c)
Non-executive Chairman

Chris Spencer (age 56)
Interim Chief Executive Officer

Peter Southby (age 39)
Chief Financal Officer

Mike was appointed to the Board of EMIS in 
March 2011. He has twenty years of main board 
experience in a public company environment, 
including both FTSE100 and FTSE250. He has 
broad experience of running global operations, 
and a strong background in the IT industry as 
well as intimate association with the UK and 
international healthcare sectors. Mike is currently 
a non-executive director of Headlam Group plc 
and he is also Chairman of Digital Healthcare 
Limited (a Cambridge based supplier of software 
to the UK Diabetic Retinopathy Screening 
Programme). He was formerly Chief Executive 
of Marlborough Stirling plc, Chief Executive of 
Huon Corporation and an executive director of 
Misys plc. At Misys, amongst other things, Mike 
ran the group’s US healthcare division in North 
Carolina which supplied software and services 
to over 70,000 primary care physicians in North 
America. He was also responsible for their UK 
based healthcare business which sold PAS 
and pathology departmental systems.

Chris joined EMIS in 1999 and, until 2013, 
was EMIS’s Chief Administrative Officer 
including roles as Group Counsel and Company 
Secretary. He has been a member of EMIS’s 
senior management strategy forum since 1999. 
Immediately prior to joining EMIS, he was a 
General Manager and Head of IT for Markgraaf 
Patents Limited. A qualified solicitor, Chris was 
also, in 1985, a founder shareholder and 
director of Solicitec Limited, a software 
house which was acquired by Lexis Nexis 
in 2006. He is an Associate of the Chartered 
Institute of Patent Agents, a member of the 
Law Society of England & Wales, a member 
of the Society for Computers & Law and a 
Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

Peter joined EMIS in October 2012 and has 
nearly 20 years of experience in finance, most 
recently as Finance Director of ENER-G plc 
and, before that, with Augean plc. At Augean, 
he was part of the executive team that led a 
number of corporate transactions including 
fundraising and acquisitions. Peter has built 
relationships and offered strategic advice 
across multiple industry sectors with a 
particular focus on support services.

Before Augean, Peter held senior financial 
positions at White Young Green plc and at 
Leeds United plc. He started his career with 
Arthur Andersen whilst studying at Oxford 
University, where he obtained a first class 
degree. Peter is a Fellow of the Institute of 
Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

16

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2012

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Corporate governance

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A – Audit committee member
R – Remuneration committee member
N – Nomination committee member
(c) – Chair 

Andy McKeon (age 57) A, R(c), N
Non-executive Director

Robin Taylor (age 61) A(c), R, N
Non-executive Director

Andy joined EMIS on 4 February 2013. 
Andy joined the Audit Commission in 
September 2003 as a Managing Director 
with responsibility for all the Commission’s 
work on Health. Prior to joining the Audit 
Commission, Andy was a Departmental 
Board member at the Department of Health. 
As Director General of Policy and Planning 
he had oversight of the Department’s agenda 
for the reform and improvement of health 
and social care. He is also a Trustee of the 
Nuffield Trust, a Non-Executive Director at 
the National Institute of Health and Clinical 
Excellence and an Adjunct Professor in 
the Centre for Health Policy at Imperial 
College London. Andy is a graduate 
of Cambridge University.

Robin joined EMIS Group as Senior 
independent Non-executive Director and 
Chair of the Audit Committee on 1 March 2010 
as part of the preparations for flotation, bringing 
many years’ experience as a plc director. Robin 
is currently an independent Non-executive 
Director of Fusionex International plc and 
CMS Supatrak Limited and was formerly 
Chief Financial Officer of main market publicly 
listed companies Intec Telecom Systems plc 
(“Intec”), ITNET PLC and JBA Holdings plc. 
Prior to that, Robin held a variety of financial 
and general management roles in both Europe 
and North America. Robin is a member of the 
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

Sean Riddell (age 48)
Non-executive Director*

Dr David Stables (age 55)
Director of Development Strategy

Sean has 20 years’ experience of IT within the 
healthcare sector, all gained with the Group. 
Sean joined EMIS in 1989 and he has had 
significant involvement in the Group’s pioneering 
initiatives, such as enabling GP appointments 
to be booked via the internet or mobile phone, 
the secure viewing of a patient’s medical 
records over the internet and the growth of 
www.patient.co.uk. Sean was initially appointed 
to the EMIS Board in 1999 and became 
Managing Director of EMIS in September 2006. 
He was appointed Managing Director of EMIS 
Group upon its incorporation in April 2008 and 
served as CEO from flotation until March 2013. 
Sean worked for Provident Financial Group as 
a Business Information Analyst prior to joining 
EMIS and has a degree in Psychology.

* With effect from 21 March 2013

David advises on the Group’s future product 
strategy and architecture and was appointed 
to this role in 2009. David has over 28 years’ 
experience in healthcare IT. A co-founder 
of EMIS he developed an electronic medical 
record system to alert GPs to potential 
prescribing errors and to help with diagnosis. 
In 1987, the first EMIS system that managed 
patient records within a GP practice was 
developed and David was appointed Medical 
Director of EMIS in the same year. He led 
the EMIS software development team, with 
responsibility for software requirements, design, 
technology and clinical assurance, including 
the current EMIS Web system. David qualified in 
Medicine at Dundee University in 1981, entered 
general practice in 1984 at Egton Surgery and 
was a partner in that practice from 1987 to 1991.

www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

17

 
Corporate governance

Senior management and advisers

Neil Laycock (age 43)
Managing Director (EMIS)

Dr Shaun O’Hanlon (age 48)
Software Development 
and Clinical Director

Ian Taylor (age 45)
Managing Director (RX Systems)

Managing Director of Egton Medical Information 
Systems (EMIS), Neil is an experienced senior 
business leader with over eleven years’ experience 
in the implementation and delivery of mobile 
and internet products and propositions. 
Neil joined EMIS as Managing Director 
of Patient.co.uk in January 2011 where he 
was integral to reviewing, revitalising and 
re-launching the health and wellbeing website 
and became MD of Egton Medical Information 
Systems in March 2012. Prior to this Neil was 
Chief Executive of broadband provider PlusNet, 
where he helped transform the company from 
regional provider to a national industry leader. 
He has previously held senior positions at BT, 
IT and ISP consultancy eggnoodles.co.uk, and 
founded RuckingBall.com, an online rugby 
coaching, resource and discussion site. Neil 
also represents EMIS Group on the boards of 
both Pharmacy2U and Healthcare Gateway Ltd.

Directors
Executive
S D Riddell – Chief Executive (to 4 February 2013 
and Joint Chief Executive to 21 March 2013) 
C M K Spencer – Joint Chief Executive (from 
4 February 2013 and Interim Chief Executive 
from 21 March 2013) 
P A Woodrow – Finance Director 
(to 1 October 2012 and Director until 
11 January 2013) 
P J Southby – Chief Financial Officer 
(from 1 October 2012)  
D L Stables – Director of Development Strategy

Non-executive
M K O’Leary – Chairman  
R F Taylor – Senior Non-Executive Director 
A J McKeon – (from 4 February 2013)  
S D Riddell – (from 21 March 2013)

Company Secretary
C L Farbridge (from 4 February 2013) 
C M K Spencer (to 4 February 2013)

Shaun is EMIS Group’s Software Development 
and Clinical Director. Shaun started with EMIS 
in 2006 as clinical design Director and was 
responsible for the clinical architecture of EMIS’s 
flagship product EMIS Web. Shaun’s advanced 
work on EMIS Web has pioneered the next 
generation of clinical support tools and mobile 
working within the UK primary healthcare 
market. Shaun trained at Cambridge and 
St Thomas’ Hospital, becoming a GP principal 
in 1994 and became Medical Director 
of LifeGard (Health Smartcards) between 
1999 and 2000. Shaun is also a Director 
of QResearch (EMIS joint research 
collaboration with University of Nottingham).

Ian has over twenty years of experience 
delivering IT solutions to community pharmacy. 
Ian was co-founder of RX Systems which was 
formed in 2004, building the business to its 
current position as the second largest system 
house operating in Community Pharmacy. Ian 
was retained as Managing Director following 
the acquisition by EMIS Group in August 2010. 
Prior to forming RX Systems Ian was a senior 
manager at Mediphase Ltd moving on to work 
for IMS Health Ltd to establish the first secure 
network dedicated to community pharmacy, 
NPAnet/Securnet. This service is now one 
of two accredited network aggregators 
for community pharmacy in connecting 
to the NHS’ N3 network.

Company number
06553923 (England and Wales)

Registered office
Rawdon House
Green Lane 
Yeadon 
Leeds LS19 7BY

Auditors
Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP
Chartered Accountants 
2 Whitehall Quay 
Leeds LS1 4HG

Nominated adviser and broker
Numis Securities Limited 
The London Stock Exchange Building 
10 Paternoster Square 
London EC4M 7LT

Registrars
Capita Registrars Limited
The Registry 
34 Beckenham Road 
Beckenham BR3 4TU

Financial PR
MHP Communications
60 Great Portland Street 
London W1W 7RT

Legal advisers to the company
DWF LLP
Bridgewater Place 
Water Lane 
Leeds LS11 5DY

Pinsent Masons LLP
1 Park Row 
Leeds LS1 5AB

18

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2012

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Corporate governance

Corporate governance

EMIS Group plc and its subsidiaries are committed to high standards 
of corporate governance and the Board acknowledges the importance 
of the principles set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code.

EMIS Group plc (“the company” or 
“the parent company”) and its subsidiaries 
(together “the Group”) are committed to high 
standards of corporate governance and 
the Board acknowledges the importance of 
the principles set out in the UK Corporate 
Governance Code published by the Financial 

Reporting Council in June 2010 (formerly 
the Combined Code (2008)) (“the Code”).

Although the Code is not mandatory for 
companies admitted to AIM, the company 
continues to establish a framework by 
adopting and implementing policies and 
procedures designed to comply with the 

Code as far as reasonably practicable and 
appropriate for a company of this size and 
complexity. During the period the company 
did not fully comply with the Code (provisions 
B1.2, B6.2, B7.1 and E2.4). The report below 
sets out how the principles in the Code have 
been applied during the year under review.

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Board composition
At the start of the year the Board of 
EMIS Group (“the Board”) consisted of: 
Michael (Mike) O’Leary, Non-executive 
Chairman; Sean Riddell, Chief Executive; 
Phillip Woodrow, Finance Director; 
Dr David Stables, Director of Development 
Strategy; and Robin Taylor, Senior 
Non-executive Director, whom the Board 
considers to be independent as defined in 
the Code. Phillip Woodrow stepped down 
as Finance Director and Peter Southby 
was appointed as Chief Financial Officer 
on 1 October 2012. Phillip Woodrow 

continued as an executive Director to allow 
for a suitable handover period and then 
retired from the Board on 11 January 2013. 

Sean Riddell resigned as Chief Executive 
on 4 February 2013 and became Joint 
Chief Executive. On 21 March 2013 he will 
become a non-executive Director. He is not 
considered independent on appointment 
but the Board is of the view that his continuing 
involvement allows for a smooth transition 
and the retention of his extensive sector 
knowledge. Christopher (Chris) Michael 
Kennedy Spencer became Joint Chief 
Executive on 4 February 2013 and he 

will become Chief Executive on an interim 
basis on 21 March 2013.

Andy McKeon was appointed as a 
non-executive Director on 4 February 2013. 
On appointment he met the Code 
requirements for independence. 
Appointments of non-executive Directors 
are for specific terms and subject to statutory 
provisions relating to the removal of a Director. 
The Board considers the current balance 
of skills and experience appropriate for the 
business but will review the balance closely 
following the appointment of a permanent 
Chief Executive.

Board effectiveness
The Board has extensive operational 
experience and, of the Directors, Sean 
Riddell and Dr David Stables have detailed 
knowledge of the healthcare IT sector. 
This has been strengthened with 
the appointment of Andy McKeon 
on 4 February 2013.

An internal assessment of the performance 
of the Board and its individual Directors was 
conducted by the Chairman during 2012. 
The Board’s effectiveness was assessed 
by means of a detailed questionnaire 
completed by each Director.

The questionnaire covered ten areas, 
including Board membership, processes 

for setting the strategy of the company, 
monitoring business performance, corporate 
governance and the effectiveness of the 
executive Directors, non-executive Directors 
(including the Chairman) and the Board’s 
committees. The results were fed back to 
the Chairman in individual meetings and 
any individual concerns were addressed. 
The Chairman produced a report on the 
Board as a whole and on the other members 
of the Board. The Senior Non-executive 
Director, after review of the questionnaire 
findings and discussions with the Board, 
other than the Chairman, produced a 
report on the Chairman’s performance. 
The process also gave consideration to 
environmental, social and governance 
issues as appropriate. The training needs 

of all Directors were considered as part 
of this process. The Board will review 
the method of evaluation for the Board 
after the appointment of a permanent 
Chief Executive.

When considering Board membership, 
factors including the balance of skills, 
experience, knowledge of the company 
and its diversity, including gender, were 
taken into account. 

New Directors receive a comprehensive 
pack of information, attend a tailored 
induction programme and meet senior 
managers. All Directors are encouraged 
to attend other relevant training courses 
and events.

www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

19

 
Corporate governance

Corporate governance continued

Board responsibilities
The Chairman is responsible for the 
leadership and effectiveness of the Board. 
During the period he led the recruitment of 
the Chief Financial Officer and an additional 
non-executive Director. The process for the 
appointment of new Directors is rigorous 
and transparent and further information is 
contained in the report of the nomination 
committee. With the Senior Non-executive 
Director, the Chairman led the evaluation of 
the Board and met with major shareholders 
on governance matters. 

On his appointment, Mike O’Leary met 
the Code requirements for independence. 
The Chairman is responsible for setting 
the Board agenda and ensuring adequate 
time is available for discussion of each 
item. The Chairman promotes open debate 
which allows constructive challenge 
where appropriate. 

There have been no changes to his other 
significant commitments during the year 
which have any impact on his ability to 
perform his duties for the company. 

The roles of the Chairman and Chief 
Executive are separate and defined in 
writing. This provides a clear division of 
responsibilities between the running of 
the Board and the executive responsibility 
of running the business. No executive 
Director holds any non-executive role in a 
FTSE 100 company nor the chairmanship 
of such a company.

Once the strategic and financial objectives 
of the company have been set by the Board 
it is the role of the Chief Executive to ensure 
that, through the day-to-day management 
of the Group’s business, they are achieved 
within defined authority limits. The Chief 
Executive was the main contact with the 
shareholders and major customers during 
the period under review. The Board is 
responsible to shareholders for the overall 
strategy and direction of the Group. It has 
a schedule of matters reserved to it including, 
but not limited to, decisions on strategy 
and risk management, approval of budgets, 
acquisitions and disposals, major capital 
expenditure, legal and insurance issues, 
Board structure and the appointment of 
advisers. In some areas responsibility is 
delegated to committees of the Board 
within clearly defined terms of reference. 
The terms of reference for the Board can 
be found at www.emis-online.com/investors. 
The Board undertakes a formal strategic 
review once a year. 

During the year a strategy forum was 
attended by the executive Directors and 
senior representatives from all the key area 
of the business. 

Comprehensive Board packs are provided 
which are distributed in sufficient time to 
enable their review and consideration in 
advance of the meeting. Management 
accounts are distributed on a monthly 
basis and the risk register is reviewed at 
each meeting. At each meeting a key senior 
manager is invited to attend and present 
an update on their area of the business. 
As a key part of their role the non-executive 

Directors constructively challenge the 
executive team and also play a key role 
in developing proposals on strategy. 
The Chairman and Senior Non-executive 
Director met without the executives 
during the year. 

All Directors are subject to election by the 
shareholders at the next general meeting 
following appointment to the Board and 
to re-election at intervals of not more than 
three years. Where a Director is subject to 
election, the Chairman confirms that following 
a formal evaluation, the individual continues 
to be effective and demonstrate commitment 
to the role. 

Additional information that demonstrates 
the skills, experience and knowledge of 
the Directors is shown in the biographies 
of the Directors on pages 16 and 17. 

The Directors have access to the advice 
and services of the Company Secretary, 
who is responsible for ensuring that Board 
procedures and applicable rules and 
regulations are complied with. The Directors 
all have access to the Group’s key advisers. 
There is a procedure for the Directors to 
take independent professional advice at 
the company’s expense, if required in the 
performance of their duties, and appropriate 
insurance cover is in place in respect of legal 
action against the Directors. The company 
has adopted a share dealing code for 
Directors and senior employees. 

The number of Board and committee 
meetings attended by each of the Directors 
during the year are shown on page 22.

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Board committees
The Board has three formally established 
committees, with clearly defined written 
terms which are reviewed annually by 
the Board. Membership is as shown in 
the table on page 22. The terms of reference 
of the committees are available on the 
company’s website. The role and work 
of the committees is outlined below.

Audit committee
The audit committee is chaired by Robin 
Taylor, who is considered to have relevant 
financial experience. Robin’s biography is 
included on page 17. Other Directors and 
representatives of the external auditor 
attend by invitation. 

In discharging its responsibilities as 
outlined in the terms of reference, as well 
as an annual self-review, the role of the 
committee has included the reviewing 
and monitoring of:

 - the annual report and accounts 

and preliminary and interim results 
statements of the company; 

 - the appropriateness of accounting 
policies and the critical accounting 
estimates and judgements; 

 - the relevance of developments in 

accounting and reporting requirements;

 - the effectiveness of internal controls 

and risk management systems;

 - the audit plan for the year-end audit;

 - the formal engagement terms, 
performance, objectivity and 
independence of the auditor, including 
the extent of non-audit work undertaken 
by the auditor; and

 - the audit and non-audit fees of the 

auditor. These are set out in note 10 
to the financial statements.

There have been three meetings during 
the year which are timed to coincide with 
key dates in the reporting and audit cycle. 
The audit committee reports to the Board 
on a regular basis. The audit committee 
meets with the external auditor, without 
management, to discuss matters relating to 
its remit and any issues relating to the audit.

responsible for establishing a formal and 
transparent procedure for developing policy 
on executive remuneration and for setting 
the remuneration of individual Directors. 
Full details of the work of the committee, 
the Directors’ remuneration and remuneration 
policy are set out in the Directors’ remuneration 
report on pages 27 and 28.

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To assess the effectiveness of the external 
audit process, the audit committee reviews, 
amongst other things, whether the auditor 
has met the agreed audit plan and considers 
the robustness and perceptiveness of the 
auditor in its handling of key accounting 
and audit judgements identified. 

The audit committee seeks to ensure auditor 
objectivity and independence in relation 
to non-audit work by having a policy which 
specifies the types of non-audit service 
that can be undertaken by the auditor 
and this is kept under review.

The audit committee reviews the 
Whistleblowing Policy to ensure arrangements 
are in place for the proportionate and 
independent investigation of such matters. 

The committee has recommended to the 
Board that a resolution re-appointing Baker 
Tilly UK Audit LLP as external auditor be 
put to the shareholders at the AGM. 

In line with the revised Code’s 
recommendations on audit tendering, 
work will commence on putting the external 
audit contract out to tender in 2013. The 
audit committee will oversee the process 
and ensure all tendering firms have access 
to all necessary information and individuals 
during the tendering process.

Remuneration committee
Robin Taylor was Chairman of the 
remuneration committee for the period under 
review. On his appointment Andy McKeon 
became Chairman. The committee met 
twice during the year. The committee is 

Nomination committee
The nomination committee is chaired by 
Mike O’Leary. The committee is responsible 
for leading the Board appointments process 
and for considering the size, structure and 
composition of the Board and has met 
twice in the year.

The committee oversaw the recruitment 
of Peter Southby as Chief Financial Officer 
following the decision of Phillip Woodrow to 
retire from the Board and the recruitment of 
Andy McKeon as an additional non-executive 
Director (appointed 4 February 2013). The 
appointments were externally facilitated. 
Selection was made against objective 
criteria and included consideration of the 
capabilities required to add to the balance 
of skills on the Board. A long list of candidates 
was prepared which included candidates 
of both genders. The appointments were 
made following interviews, obtaining 
extensive references and scrutiny by 
the committee and the Board.

Non-executive Directors are appointed 
by letter of engagement, for an initial term 
of three years unless terminated earlier 
by either party giving not less than three 
months’ written notice. They are subject 
to re-election in the same way as 
executive Directors.

As well as conducting an annual self-review, 
the committee has also considered 
succession planning for the Board and 
senior managers within the Group.

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Corporate governance

Corporate governance continued

Board committees continued
Internal control and risk management
The Board is responsible for the Group’s 
system of internal controls, including reviewing 
the effectiveness of these controls and the 
processes in place for risk management. 
The processes and procedures in place are 
designed to manage rather than eliminate 
risk and can therefore only provide a 
reasonable and not an absolute assurance 
against material misstatements or losses. 

Executive Directors of each Group company 
have a close involvement with all day-to-day 
operations and also meet with staff on 
a regular basis to identify and review 
business risks, the controls needed to 
minimise those risks and the effectiveness 
of controls in place. Business risks are 
monitored and updated on a regular basis. 
Further information on the system of risk 
management is on page 24 within the Directors’ 
report. Insurance is in place where appropriate.

The Group has extensive quality assurance 
processes by virtue of its internal quality 
assurance department which audits all 
non-financial processes and procedures. 
There are clearly defined roles, responsibilities 
and limits on authority in place. The Group 
has five current ISO registrations including 
ISO27001 – Information Security. 

During the year the Board, independently 
and through the audit committee, has reviewed 
and is satisfied with the adequacy of the 
Group’s internal financial controls. These 
include an annual budgetary process which 
is reviewed and approved by the Board. 
The actual results are monitored against 
budget at each Board meeting and forecasts 
are revisited on a rolling basis. Financial 
policies and approval procedures are in 
place which cover a number of key areas 
such as credit control and expenditure 
authorisation. A comprehensive monthly 
financial reporting system is in place which 
covers, amongst other things, operating 

results, cash flow, assets and liabilities and 
comparisons against budgets. These are 
reviewed regularly and, where appropriate, 
amended financial policies and approval 
procedures are put in place. 

Through all the processes above areas for 
enhancement are identified and action plans 
to ensure delivery are put in place. Delivery 
to plan is then monitored by the Board, 
the management and the audit committee. 

There is currently no internal audit function 
as this is not considered necessary at this 
stage of the company’s development. The 
Group has extensive quality assurance 
processes and other functions within the 
company that provide assurance and advice 
covering specialist areas. This is reviewed 
on an annual basis against the current factors 
relevant to the company’s activities, markets 
or other areas of the external environment 
that may, or may be expected to increase, 
the risks faced by the company.

Investor relations
Meetings with analysts and institutional 
shareholders are held following the interim 
and preliminary results announcements and 
on an ad hoc basis. These are usually attended 
by the Chief Executive and Chief Financial 
Officer. Feedback from these meetings and 
regular market updates prepared by the 

company’s broker are presented to the Board. 
The Chairman and the Senior Non-executive 
Director are available to shareholders to discuss 
strategy and governance issues and any views 
are communicated to the Board as a whole. 
In accordance with AIM Rule 26, there is an 
investors section on the company’s website, 
www.emis-online.com/investors, which is 
kept up to date.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)
At the AGM, separate resolutions will be 
proposed for each substantially different 
issue. Proxy votes are disclosed by means 
of an announcement on the London Stock 
Exchange and via the Group’s website. 
All Directors are available to answer 
questions at the AGM.

Fig 1 Board and committee meetings

Number of meetings in period

Attendance:
Executive Directors
Sean Riddell
Phillip Woodrow
Dr David Stables
Peter Southby (appointed 1 October 2012)
Non-executive Directors
Mike O’Leary 
Robin Taylor

Full
Board

Audit
 committee

Nomination Remuneration
committee
committee

12

12
12
11
3

12
12

3

—
—
—
—

3
3

2

—
—
—
—

2
2

2

—
—
—
—

2
2

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Directors’ report

Corporate governance

The Directors have pleasure in presenting 
their report and audited financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2012. 

Highlights

 - The Directors have adopted 
a progressive dividend policy.

 - Development work continued 

during the year on EMIS Web for 
GPs and Community Care and, 
more recently, for the specialist 
care market.

 - The Group is committed to ensuring 

there are equal opportunities 
for all employees, irrespective 
of age, gender, race, colour, 
sexual orientation, disability 
or marital status.

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The Directors have pleasure in presenting 
their report and audited financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2012. 

This report contains certain statutory, regulatory 
and other information and incorporates, 
by reference the Chief Executive’s review, 
the business review and the financial review 
included earlier in this document. The information 
in those sections along with this Directors’ 
report comprises the Business Review as 
required by Section 417 of the Companies 
Act 2006.

General information 
and principal activities
EMIS Group plc (“the company” or 
“the parent company”) is an AIM quoted 
company. The company is the parent of 
trading subsidiary companies (together 
“the Group”), the principal trading subsidiaries 
being Egton Medical Information Systems 
Limited (“EMIS”) and RX Systems Limited 
(“RX Systems”). 

The company is incorporated in England and 
Wales and domiciled in the UK. The address 
of its registered office is Rawdon House, 
Green Lane, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7BY. 

The principal activity of the Group is the 
design of computer software for healthcare 
professionals, mainly general practitioners, 
pharmacists and other clinicians, together with 
the hosting, supply and support of computer 
systems for healthcare professionals and 
other related users. 

A review of the development of the Group’s 
business during the year, including KPIs, the 
principal risks and uncertainties facing the 
Group and its future prospects are included 
in the Chief Executive’s review and the 
financial review which should be read 
in conjunction with this report. 

The Directors have monitored the performance 
of the Group by reference to certain financial 
and non-financial key performance indicators 

(KPIs). The financial indicators include 
profitability, revenues, cash generation 
and basic and diluted earnings per share. 
Non-financial KPIs include the number of 
sites deployed, customer satisfaction and 
staff turnover.

Dividends
The Directors have adopted a progressive 
dividend policy. Subject to shareholder 
approval at the Annual General Meeting 
(AGM) on 30 April 2013, the Board proposes 
paying a final dividend of 7.1p per ordinary share 
(2011: 6.2p) on 3 May 2013 to shareholders 
on the register at the close of business on 
19 April 2013. This would make a total dividend 
of 14.2p per ordinary share for 2012 (2011: 12.4p).

Directors and their interests
The Directors of the company who served 
during the year ended 31 December 2012 
are as follows: 

 - Michael (Mike) O’Leary

 - Sean Riddell

 - Peter Southby (appointed 1 October 2012)

 - Phillip Woodrow (retired 11 January 2013)

 - Dr David Stables

 - Robin Taylor

Biographies of the Directors can be found 
on pages 16 and 17. Andrew McKeon and 
Chris Spencer were appointed as Directors 
of the company on 4 February 2013.

Directors are subject to re-election at 
intervals of not more than three years and 
details of Directors’ remuneration, service 
agreements and interests in the share capital 
of the company are given in the Directors’ 
remuneration report on pages 27 to 28.

No Director has had any material interest in 
any contract of significance with the company 
or any of its subsidiaries during the year 
under review. 

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Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

23

 
Corporate governance

Directors’ report continued

Principal risks and uncertainties
The Board has overall responsibility for 
ensuring risk is appropriately managed 
across the Group. The Group maintains risk 
registers for each area of the business which 
are consolidated to form the Group risk register. 
A summary of the consolidated register 
is submitted to the Board at each meeting 
for review. The risks are rated as to their 
likelihood of occurring and potential impact. 

Each risk is assigned to an appropriate 
individual and all mitigation and action plans 
are recorded.

The table below shows the principal risks 
and uncertainties identified in 2012. These 
risks are not intended to be an extensive 
analysis of all risk that may arise in the ordinary 
course of business or otherwise.

The principal financial risks are disclosed 
in note 4 to the financial statements.

Research and development
Development work continued during the 
year on EMIS Web for GPs and Community 
Care and, more recently, for the specialist 
care market. EMIS Web is a transformational 
clinical software system which enables 
GPs and other healthcare practitioners to 
provide integrated care based the patient’s 
cradle-to-grave electronic health record. 
EMIS Web became the first GP system to

Risk

Impact

Mitigation

Government healthcare 
structural changes 

Pro: significant growth opportunities.
Con: could introduce future risk.

Competitor activity

Previous governmental policy of a 
single supplier, now in the course of 
being abandoned, gave competitors the 
opportunity, in certain areas in England, 
to try to erode the company’s  
market share.

Software development 
and hosting

The development, hosting and roll-out 
of EMIS Web and, in due course, Next 
Generation Pharmacy presents both 
opportunities and risks. 

Increased engagement with NHS at both 
strategic and tactical levels. 
Detailed analysis of the impact of the move 
from PCTs to CCGs undertaken.
NHS England and NI GP Framework 
discussions already commenced.

Close monitoring of competitor activity 
and commercial impacts. 
Market and product strategy clarified 
and enhanced.
EMIS Managing Director appointed. Review 
and realignment of business structure.
Further development of the interoperability 
agenda through Healthcare Gateway.
Roll-out of EMIS Web.
Specialist teams established to work on key 
areas of product development for example 
relating to CCMH and specialist care.
Creation of EMIS Mobile.

Extensive internal testing procedures 
and controls. 
Disaster recovery plans in place.
Chief Technical Officer appointed. 
External external testing and continual 
monitoring to ensure customer functional 
expectations are met. 
Skilled and experienced staff recruited.
Engagement between EMIS 
and RX Systems commercial teams.
Use of outsourced development 
where appropriate.

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Corporate governance

Research and development 
continued
achieve full roll-out approval for EPSR2 
from NHS Connecting for Health. eMED3, the 
electronic version of the fit note, was developed 
and rolled out and EMIS Web became the 
first GP and integrated care system to enable 
mobile working on tablet devices using EMIS 
Mobile. RX Systems released a new Medicines 
Use Review module to help pharmacists 
in England comply with new professional 
regulations and maximise their remuneration. 
RX Systems removed their reliance on a third 
party NHS Spine connector by replacing it 
with EMIS Web technology.

Research and development expenditure in 
the year amounted to £9.1m (2011: £5.6m) of 
which £5.3m (2011: £3.8m) was capitalised. 

Creditor payment policy 
and practice
It is the policy and normal practice of the 
Group to make payments due to suppliers 
in accordance with agreed terms and 
conditions, generally within 30 days. 
This policy will also be applied for 2013. 

Trade payables at 31 December 2012 
represent an average of 49 days’ goods 
and services supplied (2011: 37 days).

Share capital
As at 20 March 2013, the company had 
58,550,017 ordinary shares of one penny 
each in issue. The shares are traded on AIM, 
a market operated by the London Stock 
Exchange plc. The rights and obligations 
attached to the shares are set out in the 
company’s Articles of Association which 
are available on the company’s website.

The company has previously established an 
Employee Benefit Trust (EBT) to hold shares 
in the company to facilitate share-based 
emolument payments and the Group Share 
Incentive Plan (SIP). During the year the EBT 
purchased 400,000 shares in the company 
at a cost of £2.4m. As at 31 December 2012 
the EBT held 529,130 ordinary shares of one 
penny each. The EBT has waived its right 
to dividends. 

Details of ordinary shares under option in 
respect of the company’s share schemes are 
shown in note 28 to the financial statements. 

The rules of the CSOP and USOS set out 
the consequences of a change of control. 
In relation to the CSOP, generally such 

Substantial interests in shares
As at 20 March 2013, the company had been notified of the following substantial interests 
in 3% or more in its ordinary shares:

Sean Riddell
Standard Life Investments
Dr David Lindsay Stables1
Andrew Whitwam
Investec Wealth & Investment Ltd
Dr Peter Sowerby
Phillip Woodrow
Gary Shuckford
Tony Jones
NFU Mutual Insurance Society Ltd

Number of
shares

% issued
capital 

8,292,605
5,837,164
4,422,724
3,652,075
3,480,903
3,355,082
2,938,751
2,688,700
2,527,555
2,193,520

14.16
9.97
7.55
6.24
5.95
5.73
5.01
4.59
4.31
3.74

(1)  The shares indicated alongside Dr David Stables are held in trust and legally owned by the Dr P R Sowerby 
No. 2 Discretionary Settlement (as to 2,211,362) and by the trustees of the Dr P R Sowerby No. 4 Discretionary 
Settlement (as to 2,211,362). The trustees are Tony Jones, Dr David Stables and Rachel Stables.

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rights will vest and become exercisable 
subject to satisfaction of any performance-
related conditions. As regards the USOS, 
generally such rights will vest and become 
exercisable as the Board determines 
in its absolute discretion.

Directors’ indemnities
As permitted by the Articles of Association, 
the officers of the company and its subsidiaries 
would be indemnified in respect of proceedings 
which might be brought by a third party. 
No cover is provided for Directors in respect 
of any fraudulent or dishonest actions.

Employees
The Group’s policy is to ensure adequate 
provision for the welfare, and health and 
safety of its employees and of other people 
who may be affected by its activities. The Group 
is committed to ensuring there are equal 
opportunities for all employees, irrespective 
of age, gender, race, colour, sexual orientation, 
disability or marital status.

The Group encourages the involvement of its 
employees and employees are made aware 
of significant matters through monthly updates 
from the Chief Executive, informal briefings, 
team meetings and the company’s website 
and intranet.

During the year the EMIS Group plc SIP, 
in addition to the matching shares offered 
to employees, made an offer of free shares 
to all employees that had been employed by 
the company for one year on 31 August 2012. 
The offer was taken up by 78% of eligible 
employees. Further details are contained in 
the Directors’ remuneration report and note 
28 to the financial statements.

The Group treats applications for employment 
from disabled persons equally with those of 
other applicants having regard to their ability, 
experience and the requirements of the job. 
Where existing employees become disabled 
appropriate efforts are made to provide them 
with continuing suitable work within the 
Group and to provide retraining if necessary. 

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Corporate governance

Directors’ report continued

Charitable and 
political donations 
The Group made charitable donations 
amounting to £9,000 (2011: £5,000) during 
the year. No political donations were made 
in either year.

Statement of Directors’ 
responsibilities
The Directors are responsible for preparing 
the Directors’ report and the financial 
statements in accordance with applicable 
law and regulations.

Going concern
The company’s activities and an outline of 
the developments taking place in relation to 
its products, services and marketplace are 
considered in the Chief Executive’s Review 
on pages 6 to 9. The revenue, trading results 
and cash flows are explained in the Financial 
Review on pages 10 to 11.

Note 4 to the Financial Statements sets 
out the company’s financial risks and the 
management of capital risks.

The company has structured bank debt of 
£3.4m repayable by March 2014. However, 
it is profitable and expects to continue to be 
so. It has significant cash resources to more 
than cover its bank borrowings, a high and 
continuing level of recurring revenue and 
also expects to continue to have high cash 
conversion for the foreseeable future.

Accordingly, after careful enquiry and review 
of available financial information, including 
projections of profitability and cash flows 
for the two years to 31 December 2014, 
the Directors believe that the company has 
adequate resources to continue to operate 
for the foreseeable future and that it is 
therefore appropriate to continue to adopt 
the going concern basis of accounting in 
the preparation of the consolidated and 
company financial statements.

AGM notice
The notice convening the AGM to be held 
on 30 April 2013, together with an explanation 
of the resolutions to be proposed at the 
meeting, is contained in a separate circular 
to shareholders and on the company’s 
website at www.emis-online.com.

Company law requires the Directors to prepare 
Group and company financial statements for 
each financial year. The Directors are required 
under AIM rules to prepare Group financial 
statements in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted 
by the European Union (EU) and have elected 
under company law to prepare the company 
financial statements in accordance with IFRS 
as adopted by the EU.

The financial statements are required by 
law and IFRS adopted by the EU to present 
fairly the financial position of the Group and 
the company and the financial performance 
of the Group. The Companies Act 2006 
provides in relation to such financial statements 
that references in the relevant part of that Act 
to financial statements giving a true and fair 
view are references to their achieving 
a fair presentation.

Under company law the Directors must not 
approve the financial statements unless they 
are satisfied that they give a true and fair 
view of the state of affairs of the Group and 
the company and of the profit or loss of the 
Group and the company for that period. 

In preparing the Group and company financial 
statements, the Directors are required to:

 select suitable accounting policies and 
then apply them consistently;

 make judgements and accounting estimates 
that are reasonable and prudent;

 state whether they have been prepared 
in accordance with IFRSs adopted by 
the EU; and

a. 

b. 

c. 

d. 

The Directors are responsible for keeping 
adequate accounting records that are sufficient 
to show and explain the Group’s and the 
company’s transactions and disclose with 
reasonable accuracy at any time the financial 
position of the Group and the company and 
enable them to ensure that the financial 
statements comply with the Companies Act 
2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding 
the assets of the Group and the company 
and hence for taking reasonable steps for 
the prevention and detection of fraud and 
other irregularities.

Auditor and statement as 
to disclosure of information 
to the auditor
The Directors who were in office on the date 
of approval of these financial statements have 
confirmed, as far as they are aware, that there 
is no relevant audit information of which the 
auditor is unaware. Each of the Directors has 
confirmed that they have taken all reasonable 
steps that they ought to have taken as Directors 
in order to make themselves aware of any 
relevant audit information and to establish that 
it has been communicated to the auditor.

The auditor, Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP, has 
indicated its willingness to be re-appointed 
and, in accordance with Section 489 of the 
Companies Act 2006, a resolution that it be 
re-appointed will be proposed at the AGM. 
A process to tender external audit will be 
undertaken during 2013. 

Corporate governance
The company’s statement on corporate 
governance can be found in the Corporate 
governance report on pages 19 to 22 of this 
annual report and accounts. The Corporate 
governance report forms part of this Directors’ 
report and is incorporated into it by 
cross-reference.

By order of the Board

 prepare the financial statements on the 
going concern basis unless it is inappropriate 
to presume that the Group and the 
company will continue in business.

Caroline Farbridge
Company Secretary
20 March 2013

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Directors’ remuneration report

Corporate governance

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This report sets out the remuneration 
policy of EMIS Group plc (“the company” 
or “the parent company”) and its subsidiaries 
(together “the Group”). As a company quoted 
on AIM, the company is not required to comply 
with the Directors’ Remuneration Regulations 
2002 (“the Regulations”). The Board has, 
however, adopted many of the best practice 
provisions set out in the Regulations and 
these are referred to in the report below.

Remuneration committee
During the period under review, the 
remuneration committee was chaired by 
Robin Taylor. The other member of the 
committee was Mike O’Leary. From his 
appointment on 4 February 2013, Andy McKeon 
became the Chairman of the remuneration 
committee. The committee has clearly defined 
written terms of reference which are reviewed 
annually by the Board. These are available 
on the website, www.emis-online.com/investors. 
The committee may invite anyone it deems 
appropriate to attend and advise at meetings 
and the committee chairman attends the AGM 
to answer any shareholder questions on the 
activities of the committee. The Company 
Secretary acts as secretary of the committee.

The committee is responsible for establishing 
a formal and transparent procedure for 
developing policy on executive remuneration 
and to set the remuneration of the Directors. 
This includes agreeing with the Board the 
framework for remuneration of the Chief 
Executive, all other executive Directors, the 
Company Secretary and such other members 
of the executive management as it is 
designated to consider.

The overall policy of the Board is to ensure 
that members of the Board and executive 
management are provided with appropriate 
incentives to encourage enhanced performance 
and are, in a fair and responsible manner, 
rewarded for their contribution to the success 
of the Group, including, where appropriate, 
bonuses, incentive payments and the award 
of share options.

The committee also reviewed and approved 
all the awards made under the Company 
Share Option Plan (CSOP), the unapproved 
share option scheme (USOS) and the LTIP 
and the performance measures set against 
the USOS and the LTIP.

Going forward the committee will continue 
to ensure that the remuneration framework 
attracts and retains the best people and that 
framework is aligned to ensure the delivery of 
the business strategy and with the interests 
of the shareholders through consultation. 

Senior remuneration 
framework
The principal elements of relevant executive 
remuneration packages are detailed below:

Basic salary – basic salaries are reviewed 
annually by the committee, taking into account 
changes in individual position and responsibility 
and individual and Group performance. 
Executive Directors’ and senior managers’ 
base pay is reviewed. Salaries are compared 
against the market level for companies 
of a similar size and complexity and market 
conditions. The company’s executive Directors 
chose not to receive any basic salary increase 
in 2012.

Benefits – benefits principally include 
a car (or allowance) and are provided 
on a market-competitive basis.

Performance-related bonus – bonus 
arrangements are determined by the committee. 
There is no unconditional right to receive a bonus. 
The committee can also make one off bonus 
payments to reflect exceptional performance 
or special circumstances. The company’s 
executive Directors, with the exception of 
one individual, did not receive any bonus 
payments in 2012. Going forward these will 
be aligned to annual financial performance 
and delivery of business strategy. 

Pensions – there are no obligatory Group 
wide pension arrangements. A Director 
of one subsidiary company participates 
in a subsidiary company pension plan and 
contributions are made to the personal pension 
plans of some executive managers of that 
subsidiary. The Group makes contributions to 
the private pension schemes of the executive 
Directors as identified in the remuneration 
table below. The Group provides access 
to a stakeholder pension scheme which 
all staff are eligible to join on commencing 
employment. Work has commenced to ensure 
compliance with auto-enrolment requirements. 

Share schemes
The EMIS Group plc Share Incentive 
Plan (“the SIP”) 
This is in place for UK employees employed 
by the Group for at least twelve months. 
The SIP enables employees to buy shares 
out of pre-tax salary each month and receive 
matching shares. None of the company’s 
executive Directors participated in the SIP 
during the period. In November 2012, through 
the SIP, the company made an offer of free 
shares to all employees who had been employed 
by the Group for twelve months on 31 August 
2012. The number of free shares per employee 
was determined with reference to length of 
service and salary. The company’s executive 
Directors did not receive any free share awards.

Further details on the SIP are contained 
in note 28 to the financial statements. 

Share options
The Directors believe it is important to 
motivate and reward senior key employees 
and executives and to do so in a proper 
manner that aligns their interests with those 
of the shareholders and the long term 
performance of the company. The company 
received approval at the 2011 AGM for an 
HMRC approved Company Share Option 
Plan (CSOP) and an unapproved share 
option scheme (USOS).

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Corporate governance

Directors’ remuneration report continued

Share options continued
Grants under the CSOP and USOS were 
made on 1 October 2012 over 107,630 shares 
at £8.12 per share. These options were 
granted at the discretion of the committee 
to certain key executives and employees. 
No performance criteria were attached to 
the CSOP awards. The company’s executive 

Directors did not receive any grants under 
the CSOP and USOS.

Further details on the CSOP and USOS are 
contained in note 28 to the financial statements.

During the year an option over 400,000 
ordinary shares was granted to management 
under the LTIP. Performance conditions apply 
to this award.

Directors’ interests
The interests of the Directors over the ordinary shares of the company are as follows:

Sean Riddell
Dr David Stables(1)
Phillip Woodrow
Mike O’Leary
Robin Taylor

Number of
 shares at
 31 December
2012

8,292,605
4,422,724
2,938,751
1,000
1,800

Number of
 shares at
 1 January
2012

8,292,605
4,422,724
3,938,751
1,000
—

(1)  The shares indicated alongside Dr David Stables are held on trust and legally owned by the trustees 
of the Dr P R Sowerby No. 2 Discretionary Settlement (as to 2,211,362) and by the trustees of the 
Dr P R Sowerby No. 4 Discretionary Settlement (as to 2,211,362). The trustees are Tony Jones, 
Dr David Stables and Rachel Stables.

There has been no change in the interests set out above between 31 December 2012 
and 20 March 2013.

Directors’ remuneration

Salary/
fees
£

Bonus
£

2012

Benefits in
kind/car 
allowance
£

Executive Directors
Sean Riddell
Dr David Stables
Phillip Woodrow
Peter Southby (from 1 October 2012)

Non-executive Directors
Mike O’Leary
Robin Taylor
Tony Jones (resigned 17 March 2011)

179
157
112
44

63
35
—

—
—
—
15

—
—
—

9
27
—
3

—
—
—

Total(1)

£

188
184
112
62

63
35
—

2011
Total(1)

£

177
183
169
—

50
35
7

(1)  In addition to the above, the company has made contributions to executive Directors’ pension arrangements 
for Sean Riddell of £18,000 (2011: £15,000), for Phillip Woodrow of £78,000 (2011: £15,000), for David Stables 
of £19,000 (2011: £16,000) and for Peter Southby of £4,000 (2011: £nil).

Shares subscribed or subscription options 
granted under any share incentive arrangements 
proposed by the Group will be limited, in total, 
to no more than 10% of the company’s issued 
share capital from time to time in any ten-year 
period. Options under these arrangements 
will, where appropriate having regard to the 
level of options granted, be subject to specified 
performance criteria thereby linking remuneration 
to the performance of the Group.

Service contracts
The company entered into service agreements 
with the executive Directors on 24 March 2010 
with the exception of Peter Southby who entered 
into his service agreement on 1 October 2012. 
In all cases these can be terminated by either 
party on twelve months’ notice. No service 
contract provides for the payments of 
pre-determined amounts in the event of early 
termination. Copies of the executive Directors’ 
service contracts will be available for inspection 
prior to and during the AGM. 

Non-executive Directors
The Chairman and non-executive Director do 
not have service agreements. Mike O’Leary 
was appointed on 17 March 2011 by letter of 
engagement, for an initial term of three years 
unless terminated earlier by either party giving 
not less than three months’ written notice. 
Robin Taylor, the Senior Non-executive Director, 
was appointed by letter of engagement 
on 1 March 2010 and his engagement is 
terminable by six months’ notice on either side. 
The Chairman and non-executive Directors 
are not eligible for pensions, share incentives 
or bonus.

On behalf of the remuneration committee

Andy McKeon
Chairman
20 March 2013

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Independent auditor’s report
to the members of EMIS Group plc

Financial statements

We have audited the Group and parent company financial statements (“the financial statements”) which comprise the Group Statement 
of Comprehensive Income, the Group and Parent Company Balance Sheets, the Group and Parent Company Statements of Cash Flows, 
the Group and Parent Company Statements of Changes in Equity and the related notes. The financial reporting framework that has been 
applied in their preparation is applicable law and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union 
and, as regards the parent company financial statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006.

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. 
Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them 
in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone 
other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of Directors and auditor
As more fully explained in the Directors’ Responsibilities Statement set out on page 26, the Directors are responsible for the preparation of 
the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. Our responsibility is to audit and express an opinion on the 
financial statements in accordance with applicable law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards require us 
to comply with the Auditing Practices Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards for Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the financial statements
A description of the scope of an audit of financial statements is provided on the APB’s website at http://www.frc.org.uk/apb/scope/private.cfm.

Opinion on financial statements
In our opinion: 

 - the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and the parent’s affairs as at 31 December 2012 and of the 

Group’s profit for the year then ended;

 - the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union;

 - the parent financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union and as applied 

in accordance with the Companies Act 2006; and

 - the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion the information given in the Directors’ Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent 
with the financial statements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

 - adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from 

branches not visited by us; or

 - the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

 - certain disclosures of Directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

 - we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. 

Andrew Allchin FCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) 
For and on behalf of BAKER TILLY UK AUDIT LLP, Statutory Auditor 
Chartered Accountants
2 Whitehall Quay
Leeds
LS1 4HG
20 March 2013

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Financial statements

Group statement of comprehensive income
for the year ended 31 December 2012

Continuing operations
Revenue
Costs:
Changes in inventories
Cost of goods and services
Staff costs
Exceptional transaction costs 
Other operating expenses2
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Amortisation of intangible assets

Operating profit
Finance income
Finance costs
Share of result of associate
Share of result of joint venture

Profit before taxation
Income tax expense

Profit for the year from continuing operations 
Discontinued operations
Loss from discontinued operations

Adjusted Adjustments1
2012
£’000

2012
£’000

Total
2012
£’000

Adjusted
2011
£’000

Adjustments1
2011
£’000

Total
2011
£’000

Notes

5

86,333

—

86,333

73,238

—

73,238

(179)
(10,712)
(38,148)
—
(12,125)
(2,349)
—

22,820
54
(130)
(2)
26

22,768
(4,376)

11

6

16

7
8
9
19
19

12

5,330
(435)

—
(179)
— (10,712)
(32,818)
(435)
— (12,125)
(2,349)
—
(3,604)
(3,604)

1,291
—
—
—
—

24,111
54
(130)
(2)
26

1,291
(249)

24,059
(4,625)

854
(11,713)
(29,852)
—
(10,272)
(1,486)
—

20,769
100
(148)
81
(116)

20,686
(4,238)

18,392

1,042

19,434

16,448

—
—
3,830
—
—
—
(3,081)

749
—
—
—
—

749
(153)

596

854
(11,713)
(26,022)
—
(10,272)
(1,486)
(3,081)

21,518
100
(148)
81
(116)

21,435
(4,391)

17,044

33

—

—

—

—

(1,894)

(1,894)

Total comprehensive income/profit for the year

18,392

1,042

19,434

16,448

(1,298)

15,150

Attributable to:
– equity holders of the parent
– non-controlling interest in subsidiary company

17,890
502

1,042
—

18,932
502

16,190
258

(1,298)
—

14,892
258

Total comprehensive income for the year

18,392

1,042

19,434

16,448

(1,298)

15,150

Earnings per share attributable to equity holders of the parent

Basic earnings per share:
– from continuing operations
– from discontinued operations

Diluted earnings per share:
– from continuing operations
– from discontinued operations

13

13

Pence

32.55
—

32.55

32.50
—

32.50

Pence

28.71
(3.24)

25.47

28.71
(3.24)

25.47

1  Adjustments relate to exceptional costs, the effect of capitalisation and amortisation of development costs, and the amortisation of acquired intangible assets, 

together with the associated income tax impact.

2 Including contract asset depreciation of £2,589,000 (2011: £1,909,000).

The notes on pages 34 to 56 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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Group and parent company balance sheets
as at 31 December 2012
Company Registration No: 06553923

ASSETS
Non-current assets
Goodwill
Other intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Investments in subsidiaries
Investment in joint venture
Investment in associates 

Current assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

LIABILITIES
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables
Current tax liabilities
Bank loans 
Amount owed to subsidiary company
Contingent consideration re acquisition
Deferred income

Non-current liabilities
Bank loans
Deferred tax liability

Total liabilities

NET ASSETS

EQUITY
Ordinary share capital
Share premium
Own shares held in trust
Retained earnings

Equity attributable to owners of the parent
Non-controlling interests

TOTAL EQUITY

Financial statements

Group

Company

Notes

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

15
16
17
18
19
19

20
21

23
24
25

21,951
30,838
22,144
—
—
2,740

21,951 
28,591 
14,836 
— 
— 
2,742 

—
—
—
48,165
—
—

—
—
—
48,165
—
—

77,673

68,120 

48,165

48,165

1,243
15,188
11,107

1,422 
11,971 
12,606 

—
3,616
82

27,538

25,999 

3,698

—
1,495
97

1,592

105,211

94,119 

51,863

49,757

(12,426)
(1,919)
(396)
—
—
(15,857)

(9,144)
(1,321)
(1,184)
— 
(757)
(16,138)

(60)
—
(396)
(22,044)
—
—

(67)
—
(1,184)
(9,110)
(757)
—

(30,598)

(28,544)

(22,500)

(11,118)

25
26

(3,000)
(7,548)

(3,396)
(8,087)

(3,000)
—

(3,396)
—

(10,548)

(11,483)

(3,000)

(3,396)

(41,146)

(40,027)

(25,500)

(14,514)

64,065

54,092 

26,363

35,243

27
27
28

586
24,767
(2,877)
38,076

60,552
3,513

586 
24,767 
(1,061)
26,789 

51,081 
3,011 

586
24,767
—
1,010

26,363
—

586
24,767
—
9,890

35,243
—

64,065

54,092 

26,363

35,243

The notes on pages 34 to 56 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

The financial statements on pages 30 to 56 were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 20 March 2013 and are signed 
on its behalf by:

Mike O’Leary 
Chairman 

Peter Southby
Chief Financial Officer

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Financial statements

Group and parent company statements of changes in equity
for the year ended 31 December 2012

Group

Balance at 1 January 2011
Transactions with owners
– share acquisitions less sales 
– value of employee services
Total comprehensive income
– profit for the year
Dividends (note 14)

Balance at 1 January 2012
Transactions with owners 
– share acquisitions less sales 
– value of employee services
Total comprehensive income
– profit for the year
Dividends (note 14)

Balance at 31 December 2012

Company

Balance at 1 January 2011
Transactions with owners
– re-allocation to current assets
– value of employee services
Total comprehensive income
– profit for the year attributable to equity holders of the company 
Dividends (note 14)

Balance at 1 January 2012
Transactions with owners
– value of employee services
Total comprehensive income
– loss for the year attributable to equity holders of the company 
Dividends

Balance at 31 December 2012

Share
capital
£’000

Share
premium
£’000

Retained
earnings
£’000

Non-
controlling
interest
£’000 

Own shares
held in trust
£’000

Total
equity
£’000

586

24,767

18,796

2,753

(120)

46,782

—
—

—
—

—
—

—
—

—
7

14,892
(6,906)

—
—

258
—

(941)
—

—
—

(941)
7

15,150
(6,906)

586 

24,767

26,789

3,011 

(1,061)

54,092

—
—

—
—

—
—

—
—

—
90

18,932
(7,735)

—
—

502
—

(1,816)
—

(1,816)
90

—
—

19,434
(7,735)

586

24,767

38,076

3,513

(2,877)

64,065

Share
capital
£’000

Share
premium
£’000

Retained
 earnings
£’000

Own shares 
held in trust
£’000

Total
equity
£’000

586 

24,767 

7,535 

(120) 

32,768 

—
7

120
—

120
7

—
—

—
—

—
—

—
—

9,254
(6,906)

586 

24,767 

9,890 

—

—
—

—

—
—

90

(1,235)
(7,735)

586

24,767

1,010

—
—

— 

—

—
—

—

9,254
(6,906)

35,243 

90

(1,235)
(7,735)

26,363

The notes on pages 34 to 56 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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Group and parent company statements of cash flows
for the year ended 31 December 2012

Financial statements

Cash flows from operating activities
 – Continuing operations
 – Discontinued operations

Cash flows from all operating activities
Finance costs
Finance income
Tax (paid)/received

Net cash generated from/(used in) operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment
Internally developed software 
Purchase of software
Increase in loan from subsidiary company
Dividends received
Contingent consideration paid for acquisition

Net cash (used in)/generated from investing activities

Cash flows from financing activities
Increase in loan to Employee Benefits Trust
Transactions in own shares held in trust
Bank term loan repayments 
Dividends paid

Net cash used in financing activities

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

Group

Company

Notes

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

2012
£’000

31

32,732
—

32,732
(114)
54
(4,566)

30,913
(766)

30,147
(132)
100 
(5,674)

(1,206)
—

(1,206)
(100)
—
180

28,106

24,441

(1,126)

2011
£’000

(658)
—

(658)
(132)
—
351

(439)

(12,491)
245
(5,330)
(521)
—
—
(757)

(6,699)
465
(3,830)
—
—
—
(189)

—
—
—
—
12,934
—
(757)

—
—
—
—
10
10,000
(189)

(18,854)

(10,253)

12,177

9,821

—
(1,816)
(1,200)
(7,735)

—
(918)
(1,200)
(6,906)

(2,131)
—
(1,200)
(7,735)

(1,193)
—
(1,200)
(6,906)

(10,751)

(9,024)

(11,066)

(9,299)

(1,499)
12,606

5,164
7,442

32

11,107

12,606

(15)
97

82

83
14

97

The notes on pages 34 to 56 form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2012

1. General information
EMIS Group plc (“the company” or “the parent company”) is the parent company of subsidiary companies (together “the Group”) whose 
activities consist of the design, development, supply and support of computer software and systems for healthcare professionals, principally 
general practitioners and pharmacists, and other users. 

The company is incorporated in England and Wales and domiciled in the UK. The address of its registered office is Rawdon House, Green Lane, 
Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7BY. 

2. Summary of significant accounting policies
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been applied 
consistently to all periods presented.

2.1 Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (“IFRS”) as endorsed by the European Union, International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (“IFRIC”) interpretations 
and with those parts of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under IFRS.

For the Group Statement of Comprehensive Income, in addition to the results presented in accordance with IFRS, the Board has also disclosed 
information on what it regards as the underlying performance of the business. This presentation reflects the information which the Board 
uses to determine performance when making operating and strategic decisions for the business.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires the use of critical accounting 
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and of revenues and expenses. It also requires management 
to exercise its judgement in the application of accounting policies. The areas involving a higher degree of judgement or complexity, or areas 
where assumptions and estimates are significant to the company or Group financial statements are disclosed in note 3.

2.1.1 Going concern
The company’s activities and an outline of the developments taking place in relation to its products, services and marketplace are considered in the 
Chief Executive’s Review on pages 6 to 9. The revenue, trading results and cash flows are explained in the Financial Review on pages 10 to 11.

Note 4 to the Financial Statements sets out the company’s financial risks and the management of capital risks.

The company has structured bank debt of £3.4m repayable by March 2014. However, it is profitable and expects to continue to be so. It has 
significant cash resources to more than cover its bank borrowings, a high and continuing level of recurring revenue and also expects to continue 
to have high cash conversion for the foreseeable future. 

Accordingly, after careful enquiry and review of available financial information, including projections of profitability and cash flows for the two 
years to 31 December 2014, the Directors believe that the company has adequate resources to continue to operate for the foreseeable future 
and that it is therefore appropriate to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the consolidated and company 
financial statements.

2.2 Parent company statement of comprehensive income
As permitted by s408 Companies Act 2006, the parent company has not presented its own statement of comprehensive income. The loss of the 
parent company for the year was £1,235,000 (2011: profit of £9,254,000).

2.3 Changes in accounting policy and disclosure

(a) New and amended standards adopted by the Group 
There were no relevant new standards and amendments to standards which were mandatory for the first time for the financial year beginning 
1 January 2012.

(b) New standards, amendments and interpretations issued and early adopted
The following new standards and amendments and interpretations to standards have been early adopted:

In the financial year beginning 1 January 2011 the Group early adopted IFRS 11 Joint Arrangements, which differentiates “joint ventures” from 
“joint operations,” together with amendments to IAS 27 Separate Financial Statements and IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures. 
Consequently the Group was also required to early adopt IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements and IFRS 12 Disclosure of Interests in 
Other Entities.

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Financial statements

2. Summary of significant accounting policies continued
2.3 Changes in accounting policy and disclosure continued

(c)  New and amended standards and interpretations mandatory for the first time for the financial year beginning 
1 January 2012 but not currently relevant to the Group (although they may affect the accounting for future 
transactions and events)

Standard/interpretation

IAS 12 “Income Taxes”
IFRS 1 “First-time Adoption of IFRS”
IFRS 7 “Financial Instruments”

Amendment: Deferred Tax: Recovery of Underlying Assets
Amendment: Severe Hyperinflation and Removal of Fixed Dates
Amendment: Disclosures – Transfers of Financial Assets

Effective date:
Periods commencing
on or after

1 January 2012
1 July 2011
1 July 2011

(d)  New standards, amendments and interpretations issued but not effective for the financial year beginning 

1 January 2012 and not early adopted

None of the following changes would have had any material impact on the Group and the parent company financial statements had they been 
in force during the period under review and adopted.

Standard

Amendment to IAS 1
Amendment to IAS 19
IFRS 13
IFRS 7
IAS 32
IFRIC 20
IAS 1
IAS 16
IAS 32
IAS 34
IFRS 1

Presentation of items of other comprehensive income
Employee Benefits
Fair Value Measurement
Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities
Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities
Stripping Costs in the Production Phase of a Surface Mine
Presentation of Financial Statements
Property, Plant and Equipment
Financial Instruments: Presentation
Interim Reporting
First-time Adoption of IFRS

Effective date:
Periods commencing
on or after

1 July 2012
1 January 2013
1 January 2013
1 January 2013
1 January 2014
1 January 2013
1 January 2013
1 January 2013
1 January 2013
1 January 2013
1 January 2013

Endorsed

5 June 2012
5 June 2012
11 December 2012
13 December 2012
13 December 2012
11 December 2012
Not yet endorsed
Not yet endorsed
Not yet endorsed
Not yet endorsed
Not yet endorsed

2.4 Basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements of the Group incorporate the financial statements of the parent company together with those of 
its trading subsidiary companies (Egton Medical Information Systems Limited and RX Systems Limited), the two non-trading subsidiaries 
(EMIS Professional Publishing Limited and Pathway Trust Limited) and EMIS Inc., which at the year end was in the process of liquidation.

Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are entities over which the Group has the power to govern the financial and operating policies so as to obtain economic benefits 
from their activities.

The Group uses the acquisition method of accounting to account for business combinations. The consideration transferred for the acquisition 
of a subsidiary is the fair value of the assets transferred, the liabilities incurred and the equity interests issued by the Group. The consideration 
transferred includes the fair value of any asset or liability resulting from a contingent consideration arrangement. Acquisition-related costs are 
expensed as incurred. Identifiable assets acquired and liabilities and contingent liabilities assumed in a business combination are measured 
initially at their fair value at the acquisition date. The Group recognises any non-controlling interest in the acquiree either at fair value or at the 
non-controlling interest’s proportionate share of the acquiree’s net assets on an acquisition by-acquisition basis. 

The excess of the consideration transferred and the amount of any non-controlling interest in the acquiree over the fair value of the separable 
identifiable net assets acquired and liabilities incurred or assumed at the acquisition date is recorded as purchased goodwill. Provision is made 
for any impairment.

Inter-company transactions, balances and unrealised gains and losses on transactions between Group companies are eliminated on consolidation. 
Accounting policies previously applied by acquired subsidiaries are changed as necessary to comply with accounting policies adopted by 
the Group.

In the parent company balance sheet, investments in subsidiaries are recorded at cost and are tested for impairment when there is objective 
evidence of impairment. Any such impairment losses are recognised in the income statement in the period they occur. 

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

2. Summary of significant accounting policies continued
2.4 Basis of consolidation continued

Associates and joint ventures
An associate is an entity over which the Group is in a position to exercise significant influence, but not control or joint control, through 
participation in financial and operating policy decisions. 

A joint venture is a contractual arrangement whereby the Group and other parties undertake economic activities that are subject to “joint control”, 
which means that the strategic financial and operating policy decisions relating to the activities require the unanimous consent of the parties 
sharing control.

Investments in associates and joint ventures are recognised in the Group financial statements using the equity method of accounting and initially 
carried in the balance sheet at cost. The carrying value of investments (including any goodwill) is tested for impairment when there is objective 
evidence of impairment and is stated net of any impairment loss. The Group’s share of post-acquisition profits or losses is recognised in the 
Group statement of comprehensive income and its share of post-acquisition movements in reserves is recognised in reserves. Unrealised gains 
and losses on Group transactions with the associates are eliminated to the extent of the Group’s interest in the associate. Where necessary, 
adjustments are made to bring the accounting policies used into line with those used by the Group.

2.5 Operating segments
Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision-maker. The chief 
operating decision-maker, who is responsible for allocating resources and assessing performance of the operating and geographical segments, 
has been identified as the parent company Board of Directors. 

2.6 Revenue recognition
Revenue is recognised at the fair value of the right to the consideration received or receivable for goods sold and services provided in the 
normal course of business during the year. Revenue is shown net of value added tax, returns, rebates and discounts and after eliminating 
sales within the Group.

The Group recognises revenue when the amount can be reliably measured and when it is probable that future economic benefits will flow 
to the entity and when specific criteria have been met for each of the Group’s activities, as described below:

 - Revenue from licences, maintenance, support and similar services is credited to deferred income and released on a straight-line basis over 

the period of supply.

 - Revenue from training and other similar services is recognised when the service is delivered.

 - Revenue from system installations and upgrades is recognised when delivery to a customer has occurred with no significant vendor obligations 
remaining and where the collection of the resulting receivable is considered probable. In instances where a significant vendor obligation exists, 
revenue recognition is delayed until the obligation has been satisfied.

 - Revenue from other hardware and consumables sales is recognised when ownership passes.

EMIS has a contract in relation to the provision of General Practitioner Systems of Choice (GPSoC), as extended to include the supply of data 
centre hosted services to National Health Service Connecting for Health (NHS CfH) standards. The Group recognises revenue from this contract 
as follows:

 - Provision of infrastructure and hardware – in line with the anticipated life of the related assets as capitalised within property, plant and equipment.

 -  Other services are recognised when delivered or over the period of supply as appropriate.

Invoices raised in advance of the provision of services to customers are recorded in the balance sheet as deferred income and included within 
current liabilities. 

Where Group recognition criteria have been met but no invoice to the customer has been raised at the period end, revenue is recognised 
and included as accrued income within trade and other receivables on the balance sheet.

2.7 Operating profit 
Operating profit is defined as the profit before finance income, finance costs, share of results of associate and joint venture and income tax expense.

2.8 Intangible assets

(a) Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquisition of a subsidiary compared with the fair value at the date of acquisition of the 
identifiable net assets acquired. Goodwill does not have a finite life and is not subject to amortisation. It is reviewed annually for impairment 
and whenever there is an indication that there may be impairment.

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Financial statements

2. Summary of significant accounting policies continued
2.8 Intangible assets continued

(a) Goodwill continued
Any impairment is recognised immediately in the income statement and is not subsequently reversed. For the purpose of impairment testing, 
goodwill is allocated to those cash-generating units or groups of cash-generating units that are expected to benefit from the business 
combination and which represent the lowest level within the entity at which the goodwill is monitored for internal management purposes.

(b) Computer software
The costs of maintaining computer software are recognised as expenses of the period in which they are incurred.

Development costs that are directly attributable to the design, development and testing of identifiable and unique software products controlled 
by the Group are recognised as intangible assets from the point in time that:

 - it becomes probable a project will be a success; 

 - the project or product is technically and commercially feasible;

 - the development costs can be measured reliably; and

 - sufficient resources are available to complete the development and use the asset.

Development costs that have previously been recognised as an expense are not recognised as an asset in a subsequent period.

Software acquired by the Group on the purchase of subsidiary undertakings or otherwise purchased externally meeting the above criteria 
is included in intangible assets at fair value at the acquisition date. Fair value is assessed under the multi-period excess earnings method, 
the income (relief from royalty) basis or cost for external purchases. The capitalised costs of internally developed software consist only 
of the directly attributable development employee costs.

All capitalised software has a finite useful life and is carried at the amount initially recognised less accumulated amortisation and any 
accumulated impairment losses. 

An initial assessment of the useful economic life for each unique software product is made based on the anticipated conditions in the market 
from which economic benefits are expected to be derived. The criteria for choosing useful economic lives include, amongst other factors:

 - future anticipated revenues;

 - customer requirements;

 - NHS funding arrangements;

 - the political environment; and

 - competitor activity.

The useful economic life for each product is then monitored at regular intervals and if required is amended to reflect any change.

Software acquired on business combinations and other software purchased externally is amortised using the straight-line method over 
an estimated useful life of between four and six years.

Expenditure on internally developed software principally relates to EMIS Web for both GP and, more recently, also for integrated care. EMIS 
Web is a “transformational” clinical software product, the costs of which have been capitalised to the extent of the criteria set out above. As 
the Group continues with the roll-out programme and enabling product enhancement programme, amortisation of EMIS Web software for GPs 
will follow that programme so as to reflect the availability of the software and the pattern of the future economic benefits that are expected to 
flow from its use, using an amortisation period of eight years from installation.

Development costs for other internally developed software are driven by the need to provide tailored versions of the Group’s software for different 
local markets. These costs are capitalised to the extent they meet the criteria above and are amortised over a period of between four and eight 
years from installation. 

(c) Customer relationships
Customer relationships acquired with subsidiary companies are recognised at fair value at the acquisition date using the multi-period excess 
earnings method. Customer relationships have a finite useful life and are carried at cost less accumulated amortisation. Amortisation is calculated 
using the straight-line method over the expected life of the customer relationship of between ten and 15 years. Customer relationship assets are 
impaired if the relationship with the customer ceases.

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

2. Summary of significant accounting policies continued
2.9  Property, plant and equipment 
Property, plant and equipment acquired with subsidiary companies are recognised at fair value at the date of acquisition. Other additions are 
recognised at purchase cost. Depreciation is provided on all property, plant and equipment other than freehold land to write assets down to their 
estimated residual value over their estimated useful lives at the following annual rates:

Freehold property  
Leasehold property   
Computer equipment 
Fixtures, fittings and equipment 
Motor vehicles 

2% straight-line 
over life of lease (between 20% and 33% straight-line) 
33% straight-line  
25% reducing balance 
20% straight-line

2.10 Impairment of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets excluding goodwill 
At each year end, the Group reviews the carrying amounts of its property, plant and equipment and intangible assets to determine whether 
there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset 
is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). 

An impairment loss is recognised whenever the carrying amount of an asset, or its cash-generating unit, exceeds the asset’s recoverable 
amount. Impairment losses are recognised as an expense. 

The recoverable amount of assets is the greater of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the estimated future 
cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of 
money and the risks specific to the asset. For an asset that does not generate largely independent cash inflows, the recoverable amount is 
determined for the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs. 

2.11 Taxation
The taxation expense charged in the Group statement of comprehensive income represents the sum of the current tax expense and the 
deferred tax expense.

The tax currently payable is based on the taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from accounting profit as reported in the Group 
statement of comprehensive income because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it 
further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The Group liability for current tax is measured using tax rates that have been 
enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date. 

Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable on differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the financial 
statements and the corresponding tax bases used in the computation of taxable profit, and is accounted for using the balance sheet liability 
method. Deferred tax liabilities are recognised for all taxable temporary differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that 
it is probable that taxable profits will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilised. Such assets and liabilities are 
not recognised if the temporary difference arises from the initial recognition of goodwill or from the initial recognition (other than in a business 
combination) of other assets and liabilities in a transaction which affects neither the taxable profit nor the accounting profit. 

Deferred tax liabilities are recognised for taxable temporary differences arising on investments in subsidiaries and associates, except where 
the Group is able to control the reversal of the temporary difference and it is probable that the temporary difference will not reverse in the 
foreseeable future.

Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realised or the liability is settled based 
upon tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the Group 
statement of comprehensive income, except when it relates to items credited or charged directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is 
also dealt with in equity.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset where there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred 
tax relates to income tax levied by the same tax authorities on either: 

 - the same taxable entity or;

 - different taxable entities which intend to settle current tax assets and liabilities on a net basis or to realise and settle them simultaneously 

in each future period when the significant deferred tax assets and liabilities are expected to be realised or settled. 

2.12 Leasing
Operating lease annual rentals are charged in the Group statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the term of each lease.

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Financial statements

2. Summary of significant accounting policies continued
2.13 Share Incentive Plan 
The fair value of free shares allocated to members of the share incentive plan (see note 29) is accounted for within staff costs. 

2.14 Retirement benefit costs 
The costs charged in the financial statements represent contributions payable by the Group during the period into publicly or privately administered 
defined contribution pension plans on a mandatory, contractual or voluntary basis. The Group has no further payment obligations once the 
contributions have been paid. Differences between contributions payable in the period and contributions actually paid are shown as either 
accruals or prepayments in the balance sheet.

2.15 Functional and presentational currency
The financial statements are presented in sterling, which is also the functional currency of the parent company. 

2.16 Foreign currencies
Assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the parent company are translated at the rate of 
exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. 
All differences are taken to the Group statement of comprehensive income.

2.17 Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Net realisable value is based upon estimated selling price less further costs 
expected to be incurred to completion and disposal. Provision is made for obsolete and slow-moving items.

2.18 Own shares held in trust
The shares in the company held by The EMIS Group plc Employee Benefits Trust are treated as treasury shares, stated at weighted average 
cost and presented as a reduction of shareholders’ equity (see note 28). Gains and losses on transactions in the company’s own shares are 
taken directly to equity. 

2.19 Financial Instruments
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised in the Group balance sheet when the Group becomes a party to the contractual 
provisions of the instrument. 

(a) Financial assets

Trade receivables
Trade receivables are amounts due from customers for goods sold and services provided in the ordinary course of business. Trade receivables 
are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. 
A provision for impairment of trade receivables is established when the carrying value of the receivable exceeds the present value of the future 
cash flows discounted using the original effective interest rate.

Investments
Investments in subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures are recorded at cost in the company balance sheet. They are tested for impairment 
when there is objective evidence of impairment. Any impairment losses are recognised in the income statement in the period they occur.

Cash and cash equivalents
In the consolidated statement of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand and at bank. There are no bank deposits 
with maturity dates of more than three months.

(b) Financial liabilities
The Group’s financial liabilities, all of which are held for trading, are classed as level one financial instruments in the fair value hierarchy. 

Trade payables
Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. 
Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year. Trade payables are recognised initially at fair value 
and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

2. Summary of significant accounting policies continued
2.19 Financial Instruments continued

(b) Financial liabilities continued

Bank and other borrowings
Bank and other loans are recorded initially at their fair value, net of issue costs. Issue costs are charged to the Group statement of comprehensive 
income over the term of the instrument at a constant rate on the carrying amount. Such instruments are subsequently carried at their amortised cost.

Equity instruments
Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at fair value on initial recognition net of transaction costs.

2.20 Dividends 
Interim dividends are recognised as distributions in the accounts when paid. Final dividends are recognised in the accounts in the year 
in which they are approved by shareholders.

3. Critical accounting estimates and judgements
Accounting estimates and judgements are made and continually evaluated based on past experience together with expectations relating to 
future events that are believed to be reasonable at the present time. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making these estimates and 
judgements, actual outcomes could be different. The critical estimate, assumption and judgement made in arriving at the amounts recognised 
in the Group financial statements that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying values of assets and liabilities 
within the next financial year is as follows:

Development costs 
As set out in the accounting policy note 2.8(b), software development costs are capitalised and are amortised over their estimated useful lives 
in accordance with the policies set out in that note. Useful lives are based on management estimates of the period over which assets are expected 
generate revenue. These estimates are reviewed periodically for continued appropriateness. Changes to estimates can result in variations in 
carrying values and amounts charged to the Group statement of comprehensive income from period to period. 

4. Financial risk management
4.1 Financial risk factors
The Group’s activities expose it to financial risks including credit risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk, and price risk. The Group manages these 
risks through an effective risk management programme that seeks to minimise potential adverse effects on the Group’s performance. 
Following the closure of the Canadian operation in 2011, the Group does not have any significant foreign currency risk.

Exposure to financial risks is monitored by the finance/administration department under policies approved by the Board. An assessment of 
the risks is provided to the Board at regular intervals and is discussed to ensure that the risk mitigation procedures are compliant with Group 
policy and that any new risks are appropriately managed.

Credit risk
The Group’s credit risk is primarily attributable to its trade receivables, which are stated net of allowances for any estimated irrecoverable amounts. 
However, this risk is mitigated in both EMIS and RX, with payment being received in advance for a significant proportion of goods and services provided.

There is some concentration of risk, as EMIS has significant dealings with Connecting for Health (an agency of The National Health Service) 
and with Primary Care Trusts. However, EMIS has longstanding relationships with its large number of end users and in addition to the normal 
credit management processes, the nature of these relationships assist management in controlling its credit risk.

Credit risk also arises on cash and cash equivalents placed with the Group’s two main banks, both of which are within the UK. The Group monitors 
the financial standing of any institution with which it deposits cash.

Liquidity risk
Management control and monitor the Group’s cash flow on a regular basis, including forecasting future cash flows, to ensure that it has sufficient 
financial resources to meet the obligations of the Group as they fall due. 

A detailed analysis of Group debt together with the maturity profile is disclosed in note 25.

Interest rate risk
The company has exposure to interest rate risk in relation to its bank debt amounting to £3.4 million. Details of the interest rates and repayment 
terms are disclosed in note 25. The Group carries sufficient cash reserves to enable it to pay down the bank debt in the event of any significant 
adverse movement in interest rates.

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Financial statements

4. Financial risk management continued
4.1 Financial risk factors continued

Interest rate risk continued
The Group’s current assets include cash and cash equivalents at the year end amounting to £11.1 million, on which interest received is subject 
to fluctuations in market rates.

Price risk
As a significant proportion of the Group’s revenues are secured under framework agreements or other long-term contracts, it has only limited 
exposure to price risk. However, significant changes are being made within the NHS and during 2013 there will be price renegotiations on a 
number of the Group’s more significant contracts. The Group is fully engaged with the process in order to secure the best possible outcome 
for the Group, the NHS and patients.

4.2 Capital risk management 
The Group defines the capital that it manages as the Group’s total equity, including non-controlling interests.

The Group’s objectives when managing capital are:

 - to safeguard the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern, so that it can continue to provide returns to investors and benefits 

for other stakeholders and to maintain an optimal capital structure to reduce the cost of capital;

 - to provide an adequate return to shareholders based on the level of risk undertaken;

 - to have financial resources available to allow the Group to invest in areas that may deliver future benefits and returns to shareholders 

and other stakeholders; and

 - to maintain financial resources sufficient to mitigate against risks and unforeseen events.

The Group is profitable and has high cash conversion. As a result, capital risk is not significant for the Group and measurement of capital 
management is not a tool currently used in the internal management reporting procedures of the Group.

5. Operating segments
IFRS 8 “Operating Segments” provides for segmental information disclosure on the basis of information reported internally to the chief 
operating decision-maker for decision-making purposes. The Group considers that this role is performed by the main Board of Directors.

The Group has two principal operating segments, both involved with the supply and support of software and related services, namely (a) the 
EMIS business principally relating to GP practices and integrated care and (b) the RX Systems business, relating to community pharmacies.

Each operating segment is assessed by the Board based on a measure of adjusted operating profit. This measurement basis has been updated 
during the year and excludes exceptional costs, the effect of capitalisation and amortisation of development costs, and the amortisation 
of acquired intangible assets as the Board considers this to provide the best measure of underlying performance. In the prior year, the effect 
of capitalised development costs was not excluded but the comparative figures have now been restated for consistency. Group operating 
expenses, finance income and costs, cash and cash equivalents and bank and other loans are not allocated to segments, as Group and 
financing activities are not segment-specific.

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

5. Operating segments continued
Segmental reporting

Continuing operations

Revenue

Adjusted segmental operating profit as reported internally
Development costs capitalised
Amortisation
– of development costs
– of other intangible assets

Segmental operating profit

Group operating expenses
Exceptional transaction costs 

Total operating profit
Finance costs net of income
Share of result of associate
Share of result of joint venture 

Profit before taxation

2012

RX
£’000

EMIS
£’000

Total
£’000

EMIS
£’000

2011

RX
£’000

Total
£’000

69,757

16,576

86,333

59,633 

13,605 

73,238 

19,901
5,330

3,831
—

23,732
5,330

(621)
(2,132)

—
(851)

(621)
(2,983)

19,148 
3,830

(155)
(2,075)

2,402 
—

21,550 
3,830

— 
(851)

(155)
(2,926)

22,478

2,980

25,458

20,748

1,551

22,299 

(912)
(435)

24,111
(76)
(2)
26

24,059

(781)
—

21,518
(48)
81
(116)

21,435

Revenue excludes intra-group transactions on normal commercial terms from EMIS to RX Systems totalling £2,179,000 (2011: £1,454,000).

Revenue within the EMIS segment of approximately £60,201,000 (2011: £53,403,000) is derived from the NHS and related bodies.

Revenue within the EMIS segment of £2,948,000 (2011: £1,482,000) is derived from customers outside the United Kingdom.

Exceptional transaction costs relate to professional fees incurred investigating the acquisition of complementary businesses.

Segmental assets as reported internally
Other segmental assets:
– Goodwill and intangible assets

Non segmental assets:
– Group 
– Investments in associate and joint venture
– Cash and cash equivalents
– Discontinued operation

Total assets as reported

Segmental liabilities as reported internally
Other segmental liabilities

Non segmental liabilities:
– Group
– Bank loans
– Contingent consideration
– Discontinued operation

Total liabilities as reported

2012

RX
£’000

EMIS
£’000

Total
£’000

EMIS
£’000

2011

RX
£’000

Total
£’000

35,624

2,917

38,541

25,250 

2,952 

28,202 

41,836

10,953

52,789

38,788 

11,754 

50,542 

77,460

13,870

91,330

64,038 

14,706 

78,744 

34
2,740
11,107
—

105,211

26 
2,742
12,606
1

94,119

(24,270)
(6,465)

(5,870)
(1,083)

(30,140)
(7,548)

(20,233)
(6,645)

(6,172)
(1,470)

(26,405)
(8,115)

(30,735)

(6,953)

(37,688)

(26,878)

(7,642)

(34,520)

(62)
(3,396)
—
—

(41,146)

(108)
(4,580)
(757)
(62)

(40,027)

Capital expenditure on property, plant and equipment, reported in non-current assets, amounted to £12,221,000 (2011: £6,540,000) for EMIS 
and £270,000 (2011: £156,000) for RX. Depreciation of property, plant and equipment amounted to £4,790,000 (2011: £3,313,000) for EMIS 
and £148,000 (2011: £82,000) for RX.

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6. Other operating expenses by function

Administration costs
Establishment costs
Motor, travel and selling costs
Contract asset depreciation

Total other operating expenses 

7. Operating profit

The following have been included in arriving at operating profit:
Research and development expenditure
Development expenditure capitalised
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
– depreciation of owned assets 
Amortisation of intangible assets
– purchased computer software
– internally developed computer software
– arising on business combinations
Operating lease rentals
– land and buildings
– plant and equipment

Financial statements

2012
£’000

5,414
1,550
2,572
2,589

2011
£’000

4,934
1,273
2,156
1,909

12,125

10,272

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

9,100
(5,330)

5,629 
(3,830)

4,938

3,395 

56
621
2,927

445
75

— 
155 
2,926 

444 
88 

The total research and development cost shown above of £9,100,000 (2011: £5,629,000), consists of the direct salary and national insurance 
costs of relevant UK staff and the costs of Australia-based staff. Software development costs amounting to £5,330,000 (2011: £3,830,000) 
have been capitalised in accordance with the criteria set out in IAS 38.

8. Finance income

Bank interest
Other interest
Profit on sale of own shares
Exchange profit

9. Finance costs

Bank loan interest
Exchange loss
Amortisation of bank loan issue costs

2012
£’000

45
9
—
—

54

2012
£’000

100
14
16

130

2011
£’000

57
2
23
18

100

2011
£’000

132 
—
16

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

10. Auditor’s remuneration

Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP
Audit Services
– Statutory audit of parent and consolidated accounts
– audit of accounts of subsidiary companies
Other services
– review of interim results
Baker Tilly Tax and Accounting Limited
Taxation services
– compliance services
– advisory services
Baker Tilly Associated Entities
Share scheme administration

11. Employees

The average monthly number of persons (including Directors) employed by the Group during the year was as follows:
– management and administration
– software support and development
– sales, maintenance and training
– others

Staff costs for above persons:
– wages and salaries
– social security costs
– pension costs – defined contribution plans
– share incentive plan (note 28)
– share option expense (note 28)

Dealt with as follows:
– charged in Group statement of comprehensive income
– capitalised development costs

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

18
48

13

17
15

19

17
47

12

15
5

15

130

111

2012
Number

2011
Number

99
581
388
48

1,116

2012
£’000

86 
421 
325 
66 

898 

2011
£’000

33,870
3,465
398
325
90

26,624
2,786
229
206
7

38,148

29,852

32,818
5,330

26,022
3,830

38,148

29,852

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12. Income tax expense

Income tax:
– current tax charge
– prior year tax charge

Total current tax

Deferred taxation:
– current period 

Total deferred tax

Total tax charge in Group statement of comprehensive income

Factors affecting the tax charge for the year:
Profit before tax

Profit before taxation multiplied by the average domestic income tax rate in the UK of 24.5% (2011: 26.5%) 
Tax effects of:
– expenses not deductible for tax purposes 
– research and development enhanced relief
– joint venture/associate reported net of tax
– adjustment for prior periods
– deferred tax rate change

Tax charge for the year 

13. Earnings per share (“EPS”)
The calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share is based on the following earnings and numbers of shares:

Earnings

Basic earnings attributable to equity holders
Discontinued operations and exceptional items
Development costs capitalised
Amortisation of intangible assets
Tax effect of above items

Adjusted earnings attributable to equity holders

Weighted average number of ordinary shares (millions)

Total shares in issue
Held as own shares in Treasury by Employee Benefit Trust

For basic EPS calculations
Effect of potentially dilutive share options

For diluted EPS calculations

Financial statements

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

5,164
—

5,164

(539)

(539)

5,153
(730)

4,423

(32)

(32)

4,625

4,391

24,059

21,435

5,894

5,680

133
(434)
(6)
—
(962)

28
(278)
9
(730)
(318)

4,625

4,391

2012
£’000

18,932
435
(5,330)
3,604
249

2011
£’000

14,892 
1,894
(3,830)
3,081
153

17,890

16,190

2012
Number

58.55
(0.38)

58.17
0.08

58.25

2011
Number

58.55 
(0.08)

58.47
—

58.47

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

13. Earnings per share (“EPS”) continued

Earnings per share

Basic
Adjusted
Basic diluted
Adjusted diluted

14. Dividends

Final dividend for the year to 31 December 2010 of 5.6p
Interim dividend for the year to 31 December 2011 of 6.2p
Final dividend for the year to 31 December 2011 of 6.2p
Interim dividend for the year to 31 December 2012 of 7.1p

2012
Pence

32.55
30.76
32.50
30.71

2012
£’000

—
—
3,618
4,117

7,735

2011
Pence

25.47
27.69
25.47
27.69

2011
£’000

3,276
3,630
—
—

6,906

A final dividend for the year to 31 December 2012 of 7.1p amounting to approximately £4,120,000 will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting 
on 30 April 3013. If approved, this dividend will be paid on 3 May 2013 to shareholders on the register on 19 April 2013. The dividend is not 
accounted for as a liability in these accounts and will be accounted for as an appropriation of revenue reserves in the year to 31 December 2013.

15. Goodwill
Group

Cost and net book value
As at 1 January 2011, 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2012

Allocated to the Group’s cash-generating units (CGUs) as follows: 
– EMIS
– RX Systems

£’000

21,951

15,853
6,098

21,951

Impairment tests for goodwill
Each allocation is tested annually for impairment and, to confirm that no impairment of the goodwill is necessary, management have compared 
the carrying value to the value in use.

The value in use for each allocation has been calculated using internal Group budgets for the three years ending 31 December 2015 to 
forecast pre-tax cash flows from each CGU. These cash flows have then been extrapolated for a further two years assuming average annual 
growth rates of 3.5% for EMIS (2011: 3.5%) and 4.0% for RX Systems (2011: 4.0%), until 31 December 2017 and then 1% for both EMIS and RX 
Systems in perpetuity. The pre-tax cash flows for the five year period have been discounted back to 31 December 2012 using weighted 
average costs of capital of 9% in relation to EMIS (2011: 9%) and 13% for RX Systems (2011: 13%). The exercise has confirmed that there has 
been no impairment. Sensitivity analysis has been performed on the assumptions and this continued to indicate that no impairment was 
required.

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Financial statements

Computer
software
purchased
externally
£’000

Computer
software
developed
internally
£’000

Computer
software
acquired on
business
combinations
£’000

Customer
relationships
£’000

—
—
—

—
521

521

—
—

—
56

56

8,321
3,830
(1,442)

10,709
5,330

16,039

3
155

158
621

779

465
— 
—

15,260
10,551
8,318

Total
£’000

35,982
3,830
(1,442)

38,370
5,851

8,797
—
—

8,797 
—

18,864 
—
—

18,864
—

8,797

18,864

44,221

3,644
1,558

5,202
1,558

6,760

2,037
3,595
5,153

3,051
1,368

4,419
1,369

6,698
3,081

9,779
3,604

5,788

13,383

13,076
14,445
15,813

30,838
28,591
29,284

16. Other intangible assets

Group

Cost
As at 1 January 2011
Additions
Discontinued operation

As at 31 December 2011
Additions

As at 31 December 2012

Accumulated amortisation and impairment
As at 1 January 2011
Charged in year

As at 31 December 2011
Charged in year

As at 31 December 2012

Net book value
At 31 December 2012
At 31 December 2011
At 1 January 2011

The accounting policy for intangible assets is set out in note 2.8. The remaining average amortisation period for software developed internally 
is approximately six years (2011: seven years). Software acquired has remaining amortisation periods of one year (2011: two years) and two 
years (2011: three years) for EMIS and RX Systems respectively. Customer relationships have a remaining amortisation period of eleven years 
(2011: twelve years) for EMIS and eight years (2011: nine years) for RX Systems.

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

17. Property, plant and equipment

Group

Cost
As at 1 January 2011
Re-allocation
Additions 
Disposals 

At 31 December 2011
Additions
Disposals

At 31 December 2012

Accumulated depreciation and impairment
At 1 January 2011
Re-allocation
Charged in year
On disposals

At 31 December 2011
Charged in year
On disposals

At 31 December 2012

Net book value
At 31 December 2012
At 31 December 2011
At 1 January 2011

Land and
buildings
£’000

Computer
equipment
£’000

Fixtures,
fittings and
equipment
£’000

3,579
54
1,820
—

5,453 
1,126
—

9,844
—
2,570
(460)

11,954 
8,661
(4)

1,363
(54)
347
(64)

1,592 
610
—

Motor
vehicles
£’000

3,005
—
1,962
(1,063)

3,904 
2,094
(749)

Total
£’000

17,791
—
6,699
(1,587)

22,903 
12,491
(753)

6,579

20,611

2,202

5,249

34,641

222 
16
69
—

307 
205
—

512

3,966 
—
2,529
(325)

6,170 
3,526
(1)

9,695

493 
(16)
251
(61)

667 
217
—

884

1,052 
—
607
(736)

923 
990
(507)

5,733 
—
3,456
(1,122)

8,067 
4,938
(508)

1,406

12,497

6,067
5,146 
3,357

10,916
5,784 
5,878

1,318
925 
870

3,843
2,981 
1,953

22,144
14,836 
12,058

Included within property, plant and equipment are assets (“contract assets”) allocated to the data centre hosting services contract (see note 2.6 
– Revenue recognition for further details) with an original cost of £12,693,000 (2011: £8,074,000) and accumulated depreciation of £6,669,000 
(2011: £4,080,000), including depreciation of £2,589,000 (2011: £1,909,000) charged in other operating expenses in the year. The net book value 
of these assets amounts to £6,024,000 (2011: £3,994,000). 

Included within property, plant and equipment are assets relating to improvement to leasehold properties with an original cost of £393,000 
(2011: £390,000) and accumulated depreciation of £242,000 (2011: £136,000). The net book value of these assets amounts to £151,000 
(2011: £254,000).

The depreciation charged in 2011 includes £61,000 which is included in the loss from discontinued activities.

18. Investments in subsidiaries
Company

Cost and net book value
As at 1 January 2011, 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2012

£’000

48,165

The company’s investments in its subsidiaries (and those investments of EMIS) are recorded at the fair value of the consideration paid.

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Financial statements

18. Investments in subsidiaries continued
Details of the subsidiary companies are as follows:

Name and nature of business

Egton Medical Information Systems Limited (“EMIS”)
– medical IT systems 
RX Systems Limited
– pharmacy IT systems
Subsidiary companies of EMIS:
EMIS Inc. (in liquidation)
EMIS Professional Publishing Limited
– dormant
Pathway Trust Limited
– dormant

All subsidiary undertakings are included in the consolidated financial statements of the Group.

19. Investment in associates and joint venture

Group

Associates
As at 1 January 
Share of result for year

As at 31 December 

Country of
registration 
and operation 

Class of share

%
of voting
power held

England

£1 ordinary

England

£1 ordinary

Canada

$1 Class A 

England

£1 ordinary 

England

£1 ordinary

100

78.9

100

100

100

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

2,742
(2)

2,740

2,661
81

2,742

The Group has two associates, Pharmacy 2U Limited (“P2U”) and Multepos Computer Systems Limited (“Multepos”). Both are unlisted 
companies incorporated in the UK.

The principal activity of P2U is the operation of an internet mail order pharmacy and the Group has a 20% ownership and voting interest.

The interest in Multepos is held through RX Systems. Multepos offers a pharmacy electronic point of sale system, which is enabling RX to expand 
the services it provides to its user base. The trading results and the net assets of Multepos are not material and have not been recognised in the 
Group accounts. At 31 December 2012 the Group had a 20% ownership and 25% voting interest but in January 2013 it acquired the 
remaining shares in the business (see note 36).

Aggregate amounts relating to P2U are as follows:

Assets
Liabilities
Revenues
(Loss)/profit before taxation
(Loss)/profit after taxation

2012
£’000

6,927
(3,638)
17,717
(12)
(10)

2011
£’000

6,572
(3,438)
17,069
554
405

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

19. Investment in associates and joint venture continued
Joint venture
Healthcare Gateway Limited (“HGL”) is a joint venture formed during 2010 with In Practice Systems Limited. Its purpose is to enable the sharing 
of patient data via a medical interoperability gateway. 

The Group has a 50% interest in HGL, acquired on formation for £1. The venture has to date been funded by loans from each joint venture party 
and at 31 December 2012 the Group is owed £291,000 (2011: £274,000).

Aggregate amounts relating to HGL are as follows:

Assets
Liabilities
Revenues
Profit/(loss) before taxation
Profit/(loss) after taxation
Share of profit/(loss) for year

2012
£’000

336
(609)
154
71
52
26

2011
£’000

140
(464)
9
(316)
(232)
(116)

The HGL liabilities consist principally of loans owing to the joint venture partners. In these consolidated accounts the Group’s share of the losses 
to date has been set off in the consolidated balance sheet against the amount owing to the Group.

20. Inventories

Group

Finished goods 

21. Trade and other receivables

Current

Trade and other receivables
Prepayments and accrued income
Loan to Employee Benefits Trust
Income tax

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

1,243

1,422 

Group

Company

2012
£’000

10,415
4,773
—
—

2011
£’000

9,676
2,295
—
—

15,188

11,971

2012
£’000

—
2
3,444
170

3,616

2011
£’000

—
2
1,313
180

1,495

22. Credit quality of financial assets
The Group’s financial assets, all of which are held for trading, are classed as level one financial instruments in the fair value hierarchy. 
The amounts of the maximum exposure to credit risk at the reporting date are as follows:

Trade and other receivables
Cash at bank

No collateral security is held.

Group

Company

2012
£’000

10,415
11,107

2011
£’000

9,676
12,606

21,522

22,282

2012
£’000

—
82

82

2011
£’000

—
97

97

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22. Credit quality of financial assets continued
Trade and other receivables
Reporting date balances fall within the following categories:

EMIS:
UK governmental health bodies:
– Agencies (e.g. Connecting for Health)
– Others (e.g. Primary Care Trusts)
RX Systems:
– Group and independent high street pharmacies
– Distributors
Other third party receivables across the Group

Financial statements

Group

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

5,177
1,560

1,746
591
1,341

10,415

2,644
1,794

1,627
1,071
2,540

9,676

Trade and other receivables are mainly due one month following the date of the invoice. At the reporting date the aged analysis of trade and other 
receivables is as follows:

– December
– November
– October and earlier

Other than trivial amounts, no provision for impairment of trade receivables has been required.

Cash at bank
The Moody’s long-term credit ratings and balances are as follows:

A2
A3
Aa3
Other balances

23. Trade and other payables

Current

Trade payables
Accrued expenses
Other tax and social security

2012
£’000

7,524
1,027
1,864

10,415

Group

2012
£’000

10,555
552
—
—

2011
£’000

7,237
1,586
853

9,676

2011
£’000

5,135
—
7,466
5

11,107

12,606

Group

Company

2012
£’000

6,530
2,935
2,961

12,426

2011
£’000

3,981
2,343
2,820 

9,144 

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

—
60
—

60

—
67
—

67

In 2011 Other tax and social security was disclosed within Current tax liabilities (note 24). In the current year the balance has been reclassified 
within Trade and other payables and the comparative figure restated accordingly.

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

24. Current tax liabilities

Income tax

25. Borrowings

Company and Group

Non-current
Bank loans – secured 
Current
Bank loans – secured 

Group

Company

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

1,919

1,321

2012
£’000

—

2011
£’000

—

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

3,000

3,396

396

3,396

1,184

4,580

Bank loans consist of a term loan to March 2013 amounting to £400,000 at 31 December 2012, repayable by equal monthly instalments of 
£100,000, and a mortgage loan of £3,000,000 repayable on 31 March 2014. The term loan bears interest at 2% over Libor and the mortgage 
loan is at 1.75% over Libor.

The bank loans are secured by mortgage debentures providing fixed and floating charges over the Group’s assets and undertaking. 

The non-current borrowings carried at £3,000,000 (2011: £3,396,000) as shown above are estimated to have a fair value of £3,009,000 
(2011: £3,372,000). The fair values are based on cash flows discounted using a rate based on the borrowing rate of 2.08% (2011: 2.91%). 

The fair value of current borrowings approximates to their carrying amount, as the impact of discounting is not significant. 

Analysis of debt maturity

Amounts payable:
In one year or less 
In more than one year but not more than two years
In more than two years but not more than five years
Debt issue costs to be amortised over outstanding term

26. Deferred tax

At 1 January 2011
Charge to income
Impairment – discontinued operation
Intangibles amortisation
Development costs
Depreciation on building
Effect of rate change

At 31 December 2011
Charge to income
Intangibles amortisation
Development costs
Depreciation on building
Effect of rate change

At 31 December 2012

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

400
3,000
—
(4)

3,396

Plant and
equipment
£’000

Intangible
assets
£’000

Property
£’000

(7,906)
—
375
814
(1,010)
—
293

(7,434)
—
869
(1,306)
—
885

(725)
—
—
—
—
16
28

(681)
—
—
—
14
77

137 
(104)
—
—
—
—
(5)

28
—
—
—
—
—

28

1,200
400
3,000
(20)

4,580

Total
£’000

(8,494)
(104)
375
814
(1,010)
16
316

(8,087)
—
869
(1,306)
14
962

(6,986)

(590)

(7,548)

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Financial statements

26. Deferred tax continued
Certain deferred tax assets and liabilities have been offset. The following is the analysis of the deferred tax balances (after offset) for financial 
reporting purposes:

Deferred tax liabilities
Deferred tax assets

27. Share capital and premium

At 1 January 2011, 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2012

2012
£’000

(7,576)
28

2011
£’000

(8,115)
28

(7,548)

(8,087)

Ordinary shares of 1p each

Number

58,550,017

£’000

586

Share
Premium

£’000

Total

£’000

24,767

25,353

All issued shares are fully paid. There were no movements in the share capital of the company during either year. At 31 December 2012 
the EMIS Group plc Employee Benefit Trust held 529,130 shares in the company (2011: 207,345 shares).

28. Share based payments
At 31 December 2012 outstanding awards to subscribe for ordinary shares of 1p each in the company, granted in accordance with the rules 
of the EMIS share option schemes and the EMIS LTIP, were as follows:

Exercise or vesting date

2011 Share Option Plan
October 2014 – October 2016
October 2015 – October 2017

Unapproved Option Scheme 
October 2014 – October 2016
June 2015 – July 2016

EMIS LTIP 
July 2015 – July 2017

Exercise
price

At
1 January
2012

Lapsed

Granted

At 31
December
2012

528p
812p

66,225
—

(2,370)
—

—
42,130

63,855
42,130

66,225

(2,370)

42,130

105,985

528p
812p

12,298
—

12,298 

—
—

—

—
65,500

12,298
65,500

65,500

77,798

547p

—

— 400,000

400,000

78,523

(2,370)

507,630

583,783

The parent company operates share option schemes, (the HMRC approved EMIS Group plc 2011 Share Option Plan and the EMIS Group plc 
Unapproved Option Scheme) and an LTIP scheme. Tranches of options have been granted at market value to senior members of management. 
Performance conditions apply to the 2012 awards under the Unapproved Option Scheme and the EMIS LTIP only. 

Options are conditional on the employee completing three years’ service, other than in certain limited circumstances. The Group has no legal 
or constructive obligation to repurchase or settle any of the options for cash.

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

28. Share based payments continued
The fair value of options has been calculated using the Black Scholes model for awards without performance conditions and the Monte Carlo 
model for those awards with performance conditions. The key assumptions used in the calculations are as follows:

Exercise or vesting date

Grant date
Exercise period

Average share price at grant date
Exercise price
Shares under option
Expected volatility
Expected life (years)
Risk free rate
Expected dividend yield
Fair value per option

2011 Share
Option Plan

Unapproved
Option Scheme

LTIP

2011 Share
Option Plan

Unapproved
Option Scheme

11 October 2011
October 2014
– October 2016
528p
528p
63,855
36%
3
2.75%
2.35%
109p

11 October 2011
October 2014
– October 2016
528p
528p
12,298
36%
3
2.75%
2.35%
109p

29 June 2012
July 2015
– July 2017
547p
547p
400,000
30%
4
1.00%
2.30%
85p

1 October 2012
October 2015 
– October 2017
812p
812p
42,130
30%
3
1.00%
1.64%
153p

1 October 2012
June 2015
– July 2016
812p
812p
65,500
30%
3
1.00%
1.64%
75p

The expected volatility assumption is based on statistical analysis of the historical volatility of the company’s share price.

The company also operates an HMRC approved Share Incentive Plan, which is open to all UK employees. Those joining contribute a maximum 
of £1,500 a year, or 10% of salary, whichever is smaller, which is used to acquire shares in the company at market price from the EMIS Group plc 
Employee Benefits Trust, which holds shares in the company to facilitate share-based payments.

From 1 November 2011, for every three shares (previously four shares) acquired by an employee the company adds one free “matching” 
share. The matching shares, together with further free shares allocated to members under the scheme during the year, had a value of 
£325,000 (2011: £206,000).

29. Operating lease commitments
The future aggregate minimum lease commitments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Group

Land and buildings
– due within one year
– due between two and five years
Plant, machinery and motor vehicles
– due within one year
– due between two and five years

2012
£’000

327
92

27
22

468

2011
£’000

382
397

72
160

1,011

30. Capital commitments
At 31 December 2012 the Group had capital commitments in respect of motor vehicles amounting to £41,000 (2011: £25,000).

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31. Cash generated from operations

Continuing operations

Profit/(loss) before tax 
Finance income
Finance costs
Share of result of associate
Share of result of joint venture 

Operating profit(loss) from continuing activities
Adjustment for non-cash items:
Amortisation of intangible assets
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Profit on transactions in own shares
Share-based payments
Joint venture loss adjusted on indebtedness

Operating cash flow before changes in working capital
Changes in working capital:
Decrease/(increase) in inventory
(Increase)/decrease in trade and other receivables
Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables
(Decrease)/increase in deferred income

Net cash flow from operating activities 

Discontinued operation
Operating loss
Adjustment for non-cash items:
Impairment:
– intangible assets
– deferred taxation released
Depreciation of plant and equipment

Net cash flow from discontinued operation 

32. Change in net cash

Group

Cash and cash equivalents
Bank loans due within one year
Bank loans due after one year

Net cash

Financial statements

Group

Company

2012
£’000

24,059
(54)
130
2
(26)

2011
£’000

21,435 
(100)
148 
(81)
116 

2012
£’000

(1,405)
—
116
—
—

2011
£’000

9,074 
(10,000)
148 
—
—

24,111

21,518 

(1,289)

(778)

3,604
4,938
—
90
—

3,081 
3,395 
(23)
7 
(116)

—
—
—
90
—

—
—
—
7
—

32,743

27,862 

(1,199)

(771)

179
(3,191)
3,282
(281)

(754)
(2,889)
1,444 
5,250 

 —
—
(7)
—

—
46
67
—

32,732

30,913 

(1,206)

(658)

—

—
—
—

—

(1,894)

1,442
(375)
61

(766)

—

—
—
—

—

—

—
—
—

—

2011
£’000

Cash flow 
£’000

12,606
(1,184)
(3,396)

(1,499)
788
396

2012
£’000

11,107
(396)
(3,000)

8,026

(315)

7,711

33. Discontinued operation
The results of the Canadian discontinued operation, and the result recognised on the measurement to fair value of assets relating to the 
discontinuance in the prior year, were as follows:

Group

Revenue
Expenses 

Loss before tax of discontinued operation
Tax

Loss after tax of discontinued operation
Impairment loss recognised on re-measurement of intangible assets to fair value
Less deferred taxation release

2012
£’000

—
—

—
—

—
—
—

—

2011
£’000

126
(953)

(827)
—

(827)
(1,442)
375

(1,894)

www.emis-online.com

Annual report and accounts 2012 EMIS Group plc

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Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2012

34. Pension commitments
The total costs charged to income consist of £186,000 (2011: £123,000) representing EMIS contributions payable to individual personal pension 
plans and £212,000 (2011: £106,000) in relation to RX Systems group. In the prior year and £13,000 was also included in the loss from discontinued 
operations in relation to personal pension arrangements for employees of EMIS Inc.

35. Related party transactions
Key management compensation
Key management includes Directors (executive and non-executive) of the parent and UK subsidiary companies, the company secretary and certain 
departmental heads. The compensation paid or payable to key management for employee services is shown below:

Salaries and other short-term employee benefits
Post retirement benefits 

Directors’ emoluments

Aggregate emoluments
Pension costs - defined contribution plans

Retirement benefits are accruing to four (2011: three) Directors under defined contribution personal pension schemes.

Highest paid Director 
– aggregate emoluments
– pension costs – defined contribution plans

Transactions between the Group and: 

Associates – Pharmacy 2U Limited 
 Sales of goods and services in year
 Amounts owed at year end

Joint venture – Healthcare Gateway Limited

 Sales of goods and services in year
 Payment for tax loss surrendered
 Amounts owed by related party at year end

Key management personnel

 Sale of motor vehicles at market value

2012
£’000

2,137
306

2011
£’000

1,645
134

2012
£’000

644
120

764

2012
£’000

188
18

206

2012
£’000

31
—

7
—
291

34

2011
£’000

621
46 

667

2011
£’000

183 
16 

199 

2011
£’000

33 
—

264
19
274

4

36. Subsequent events
On 14 January 2013 the Group acquired the 75% of shares in Multepos Computer Systems Limited which it did not already own for a total cash 
consideration of £767,000 to enable further expansion of point-of-sale services to the pharmacy customer base. The provisional fair values of 
the identifiable assets and liabilities acquired were cash (£103,000), property, plant and equipment (£4,000), inventories (£8,000), trade & other 
receivables (£61,000) and trade & other payables (£110,000). Goodwill relates principally to the experienced staff within the business. Acquisition 
costs of £59,000 have been included within Exceptional transaction costs in the Group Statement of Comprehensive Income.

On 6 March 2013 the Group acquired additional freehold premises in central Leeds for a consideration of £1.5m, to consolidate and expand 
the existing leasehold premises used for warehousing, engineering services and hosting.

37. Ultimate controlling party
The Group is not controlled by one single controlling party.

56

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2012

www.emis-online.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholder information

Internet
The Group operates a website which can be found at www.emis-online.com/investors. This site is regularly updated to provide information 
about the Group. In particular, the share price and all of the Group’s press releases and announcements can be found on the site. The annual 
report and accounts will be published on www.emis-online.com/investors. The maintenance and integrity of the website is the responsibility 
of the Directors. The auditor does not consider these matters.

Registrar
Any enquiries concerning your shareholding should be addressed to the company’s registrar. The registrar should be notified promptly of 
any change in a shareholder’s address or other details: Capita Registrars Limited, The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham BR3 4TU, 
tel: 0871 664 0300, lines are open 8:30am to 5.30pm Monday–Friday. The registrar’s website is www.capitashareportal.com. This will give you 
access to your personal shareholding by means of your investor code which is printed on your share certificate or statement of holding. A user 
ID and password will be sent to you once you have registered on the site. 

Shareholder security
Shareholders are advised to be wary of any unsolicited advice, offers to buy shares at a discount, or offers of free reports about the company. 
Details of any share dealing facilities that the company endorses will be included in company mailings or on our website. More detailed information 
can be found at www.moneymadeclear.org.uk.

Payment of dividends
Shareholders may find it more convenient to make arrangements to have dividends paid direct into their bank account. The advantages of this 
are that the dividend is credited to a shareholder’s bank account on the payment date, there is no need to present cheques for payment and 
there is no risk of cheques being lost in the post. To set up a dividend mandate or to change an existing mandate, please contact Capita Registrars, 
our registrar, whose contact details appear on this page.

Share dealing services
The sale or purchase of shares must be done through a stockbroker or share dealing service provider. The London Stock Exchange provides 
a “Locate a broker” facility on its website which gives details of a number of companies offering share dealing services. For more information, 
please visit the private investors section at www.londonstockexchange.com. Please note that the Directors of the company are not seeking to 
encourage shareholders to either buy or to sell shares. Shareholders in any doubt about what action to take are recommended to seek financial 
advice from an independent financial adviser authorised pursuant to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Share price information
The latest information on the share price is available at www.emis-online.com/investors.

EMIS Group plc
Registered office 
Rawdon House 
Green Lane 
Yeadon 
Leeds LS19 7BY

Tel: 0113 380 3000 
www.emis-online.com

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2012