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Emmis Acquisition Corp.

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FY2015 Annual Report · Emmis Acquisition Corp.
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Supporting longer 
and healthier lives

EMIS Group plc
Annual report and accounts 2015

Connecting IT across every 
major healthcare sector.

EMIS Group is a major provider of healthcare software, 
information technology and related services in the UK. 

Our solutions are widely used across every major UK healthcare setting from 
primary and community care, to high street pharmacies, secondary care and 
specialist services. This means the Group can facilitate the NHS’s connected 
care strategy across every major UK healthcare setting through organic 
growth, partnering or acquisition. This is a unique position. 

P2

At a glance

Further information and investor 
updates can be found on our website 
at www.emisgroupplc.com.

Strategic report

Operational highlights  

At a glance  

Chairman’s statement  

Chief Executive Officer’s introduction  

Business model 

Markets  

Strategy  

Principal risks and uncertainties 

Operational review  

Financial review  

Sustainability  

1

2

4

6

8

10

12

16

20

26

30

Governance

Board of Directors  

Corporate governance  

Financial statements

34

36

Independent auditor’s report  

Group statement of comprehensive income  

Report of the audit committee  

43 

Group and parent company balance sheets  

65

66

67

Report of the nomination committee  

Report of the remuneration committee  

Directors’ remuneration report 

Directors’ report  

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities  

46

47

49

61

64

Group and parent company statements of cash flows   68

Group and parent company statements 
of changes in equity  

Notes to the financial statements  

Shareholder information  

Directors and advisers  

Five year Group financial summary  

69

70

98

99

100

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Operational highlights

Results in line with the Board’s expectations

Community Pharmacy – profitability and market share maintained 

•  Further progress in like-for-like operating margin 

•  Double digit revenue growth, albeit held back by timing 

of Secondary Care contracts

•  Growth derived both organically and through businesses 

acquired in 2014 and 2015

•  Maintained customary strong revenue visibility, order 

book and pipeline

•  Grew market share in Primary Care and Child Community 

& Mental Health (CCMH), future growth secured in 
Community Pharmacy

•  Market lead in independent pharmacy maintained with 
overall 36% share of the combined supermarket and 
independent market (2014: 36%)

•  Secured a significant contract with Lloyds Pharmacy 

that will grow market share to close to 50%

•  Next generation dispensary pharmacy management 

product began successful pilots

Secondary & Specialist Care – mixed performance

•  Good contributions from 2014 acquisitions Indigo 4 

and Medical Imaging

Primary & Community Care – strong financial performance

•  Material contract wins and significant pipeline 

•  Market leading position in UK primary care maintained 

with 55% market share (2014: 53%)

•  EMIS Web® roll-out programme completed in England 

and Wales, progressing in Northern Ireland

•  CCMH significant contract win momentum and increase 

in market share to 12%, exceeding 10% target

•  Acquired Pinbellcom in July 2015, a leading supplier 

of administration and compliance software

in Specialist Care

•  Secondary Care new management’s focus on 

operational improvements beginning to show results

•  Slower than expected rate of contract awards held 

back Secondary Care

Current Trading & Outlook – in line with the 
Board’s expectations

•  Strong revenue visibility with 79% recurring revenue

•  Good order books and pipelines in all segments

• 

Improved financial performance in Secondary Care 
expected in 2016

•  Growth opportunities across all markets

Financial highlights

Total revenue

Adjusted operating profit1

£155.9m 

+13%

£36.6m 

+12%

Adjusted EPS1

45.3p 

45.3

39.5

+15%

155.9

137.6

36.6

32.6

105.5

86.3

73.2

26.1

22.8

20.8

34.0

30.8

27.7

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

Recurring revenue

Total dividend for the year

Cash generated from operations2

£123.0m 

+20%

21.2p 

+15%

£36.5m 

-5%

123.0

102.7

21.2

18.4

81.4

69.4

61.1

16.0

14.2

12.4

36.5

38.3

32.6

27.4

27.1

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

1 

 Excludes impairment charges, release of contingent acquisition consideration, exceptional items, capitalisation and amortisation of development costs 
and amortisation of acquired intangibles. Earnings per share calculations also adjust for the related tax and non-controlling interest impact.

2  Stated after deduction of capitalised development costs.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

1

Strategic report

At a glance
Supporting longer and healthier lives through 
delivering integrated, excellent and innovative 
healthcare technology.

Who we are

EMIS Group is a major provider of healthcare software, information technology and related 
services in the UK. Our solutions are widely used across every major UK healthcare setting from 
primary and community care, to high street pharmacies, secondary care and specialist services. 
This means the Group can facilitate the NHS’s connected care strategy across every major UK 
healthcare setting through organic growth, partnering or acquisition. This is a unique position. 

Non-clinical ICT 
solutions and services

Egton provides non-clinical 
products and services for 
customers across the EMIS 
Group and to others in the 
healthcare market.

Provision of 
healthcare screening

EMIS Care is the highly 
successful and clinically 
well regarded healthcare 
screening arm of the business 
(previously operating under 
the Medical Imaging brand).

Clinical software 
and services

EMIS Health includes our 
clinical software businesses 
(formerly EMIS, Ascribe, 
Digital Healthcare, Indigo 4 
and Rx Systems) covering the 
primary care, commissioning, 
community pharmacy, 
community care, mental health, 
secondary care and diabetic 
eye screening.

Patient-facing 
and online services

With many millions 
of visitors each month, 
Patient® (www.patient.info) 
is our widely recognised, 
patient-facing brand – now 
able to take a global position 
having rebranded from 
Patient.co.uk in June 2015.

P12

Strategy

P20

Operational review

2

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

We link up different healthcare sectors through integrated and interoperable technology that 
makes patient information available where it’s needed, when it’s needed. We help clinicians 
provide better, more efficient healthcare. This is how we support longer, healthier lives.

P8

Business model

EMIS Group serves the following healthcare settings:

Primary & Community Care

Secondary Care

Primary care – EMIS Web uses the latest technologies 
to deliver integrated healthcare. It is the most widely used 
clinical system and it provides healthcare organisations access 
to patient information in real time at the point of care which 
improves patient safety and clinical outcomes. 

Child, Community and Mental Health – Using EMIS Web 
in the community gives access to records and allows care 
plans to be created across different community settings. This 
helps provide a better experience for the patient through 
a joined up approach.

EMIS Mobile allows mobile working online or offline 
at the point of care.

Patient – This is the Group’s website that helps patients 
play a key part in their own healthcare through high 
quality information. It also supports professionals 
in clinical decision making by providing high quality, 
accurate and up to date reference material.

Egton – Provides non-clinical ICT solutions such as 
bespoke websites for healthcare professionals and other 
public and private sector organisations. It also supplies 
ICT infrastructure and hosting services.

EMIS Group software is used by NHS Trusts in a wide range 
of secondary care settings.

Our systems are mainly used to manage hospital pharmacy 
and prescribing, unscheduled care and electronic patient 
records (including patient administration systems) and 
electronic messaging and order communications.

Community Pharmacy

ProScript® is the most widely used system in the pharmacy 
software market. It efficiently manages the dispensing 
process and handles standard tasks such as labelling and 
endorsing, patient records, ordering and stock control.

Pharmacy Access enables pharmacies to view a 
summarised patient record and order repeat prescriptions 
direct from the GP to provide a joined up service.

Specialist Care

EMIS Group provides IT systems for specialist care settings, 
offering expert and invaluable solutions to niche markets 
with specific requirements, such as image management 
and storage for the ophthalmology market. The Group 
also provides diabetic retinopathy services to patients.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

3

Strategic report

Chairman’s statement
EMIS Group helps clinicians share 
vital information, facilitating better, 
more efficient healthcare.

Dear Shareholder

I am pleased to present EMIS Group’s 
2015 annual report which sets out our 
performance over the year. 

EMIS Group has reported results in line 
with expectations with growth derived 
both organically and through businesses 
acquired in 2014 and 2015. Our EMIS 
Health Primary Care business maintained 
its market leading position and Child 
its market leading position and Child 
Community & Mental Health had another 
Community & Mental Health had another 
good year of progress. 
good year of progress. 

Double digit revenue growth was achieved 
overall although this was held back by the 
slower than expected rate of contract wins. 
The management team has placed significant 
focus on operational improvements in 
EMIS Health Secondary Care which is 
now beginning to show results.

A major contract win in EMIS Health 
Community Pharmacy is expected to 
significantly increase market share over 
the next 18 months, making the Group 
the next 18 months, making the Grou
the largest software and services provider 
the largest software and services pr
in the community pharmacy dispensary 
in the community pharmacy dispens
management market. EMIS Health Specialist 
management market. EMIS Health Spe
Care remains the leading provider of diabetic 
Care remains the leading provider of d
eye screening software and other 
eye screening software and other 
ophthalmology solutions.
ophthalmology solutions.

Further details on all our achievements 
Further details on all our achieveme
in 2015 are provided in the CEO Q&A 
in 2015 are provided in the CEO Q&A
on page 6 and the operational review 
on page 6 and the operational review
starting on page 20.
starting on page 20.

4

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Corporate governance

Corporate governance provides the 
framework that underpins everything 
we do. Given the size and stature of the 
business we aim to implement the highest 
level of governance standards and ensure 
that we are governed and managed with 
transparency, within a culture that upholds 
the importance of integrity and accountability.

Our detailed corporate governance report 
starts on page 36. Information on how we 
manage and mitigate risk is included on 
pages 16 and 17. 

Dividend

In line with our progressive dividend policy, 
the Board is recommending a final dividend 
of 10.6p per share, which, together with the 
interim dividend of 10.6p, provides a total 
dividend for the year of 21.2p per share. 
Subject to approval by shareholders at the 
AGM on 26 April 2016, the final dividend will 
be paid on 29 April 2016 to shareholders on 
the register on 1 April 2016.

Our People

The Group employs professional, highly 
skilled and dedicated employees who are 
committed to the vision and values of the 
Group. We continue to invest in our people 
and throughout the year have improved 
team integration across the Group, internal 
communications and reviewed our approach 
to career development. The outstanding 
contribution from our employees and 
their commitment to living our values in 
all that they do has ensured that the Group 
continues to move forward successfully. 
They ensure that we are able to deliver our 
strategy of providing patient-centred care 
through our unique portfolio of connected 
products and services.

Mike O’Leary
Chairman
15 March 2016

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

EMIS Group values

We are caring 
about patients, our customers 
and one another

We are innovative 
with game-changing, entrepreneurial 
and pace-setting approach

We are joined up 
in our way of working, products 
and services

We are accountable 
purposeful, trustworthy and 
delivering what we promise

P36

Corporate governance

Camden GPs slash A&E workload

GPs are slashing the A&E workload at one of London’s busiest 
hospitals thanks to joined-up technology that is enabling 
them to send home more than 26,000 patients a year.

An urgent care centre (UCC) at the Royal Free Hospital’s A&E 
department is using integrated clinical IT system EMIS Web® 
to carry out rapid assessments on 50% of the 71,818 patients 
who present annually for emergency care between 10am-10pm. 
Aided by vital information from the GP record, they are now 
able to discharge half of these patients at the front door with 
basic health advice. 40% of the remainder are directed to their 
own doctor, or a GP-staffed UCC for further investigation 
and treatment. Only 10% of assessed patients are sent 
on to the main emergency department.

The UCC is run by Haverstock Healthcare, a federation of 
all 37 GP practices in Camden, representing over 255,000 
registered patients. The federation believes that by other 
clinicians treating over 40% of patients attending the Royal 
Free Hospital’s A&E, emergency doctors and nurses can 
focus their efforts on the most unwell patients, reducing 
waiting times and improving the overall quality of care.

Haverstock Healthcare’s medical director Dr Mike Smith said: 
“All of the GP practices in Camden use EMIS Web®, and we 
also have it in A&E. This means that when patients arrive at the 
door, we are able to check their medical history with their 
consent, and make fully informed clinical decisions. Without 
their notes, there is a risk of starting patients on a care 

journey that is not needed. For example, we are ordering 
fewer x-rays and blood tests than our emergency colleagues 
at other hospitals. EMIS Web helps make our job less 
time-consuming and arduous, and enables us to work 
more effectively.

“When patients arrive at the door, we are able to check their 
medical history with their consent, and make fully informed 
clinical decisions.”

“The majority of patients we see do not get sent back to their 
own GP. We send them home with written information on 
self-care, or to a pharmacist. The website Patient.info is a 
significant resource, as it empowers patients by providing 
them with information about their condition and how to 
manage it at home. We keep a stock of its leaflets printed 
out and ready.”

Dr Smith said the next step in joined-up care was to enable 
EMIS Web to send an e-discharge letter to patients’ own 
GPs, providing them with timely and accurate information 
about their patients visit to A&E.

Matt Murphy, EMIS Health managing director for primary 
care and commissioning said: “We work hand in hand with 
clinicians to develop the technology that helps them to offer 
new models of care like this. We are proud to see it helping 
Camden GPs to deliver tangible improvements in patient care.”

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

5

Strategic report

Chief Executive Officer’s introduction
We are not just in the business of changing 
technology, we’re also in the business of 
changing the culture of healthcare.

CEO’s 

 Q&A

  Q  What were the highlights of 2015?

  Q  Why rebrand?

There were so many, but to name a few:

Primary care completed the EMIS Web 
roll-out in England and Wales and got ready 
for implementation in Northern Ireland. 
Child, Community and Mental Health (CCMH) 
had many contract wins, increasing its 
market share well beyond our target of 10%. 
We also made real progress in integrating 
primary and community care. For example, 
EMIS Health is now the sole provider 
of primary and community care in nearly 
12% of English Clinical Commissioning 
Groups (CCGs) and over 14% of Scottish 
Health Boards. Patient moved to the .info 
Health
top-level domain, extending its international 
top-le
reach, and continuing to help millions of 
reach
patients to have access to their own medical 
patien
records anytime anywhere. Egton supported 
record
both our Group and customers in a myriad 
both o
of ways. Community pharmacy worked 
of wa
behind the scenes on a very lengthy and 
behin
complex procurement that has now reached 
comp
a successful agreement and will make it 
a succ
the dispensary management market leader, 
the di
both in terms of product penetration and 
both
market share. It also secured funding from its 
marke
first CCG to closely connect pharmacies with 
first C
primary care. In Secondary care 
prima
an all new management team laid down 
an all
firm foundations for further growth in 
firm f
acute settings, links between urgent and 
acute
emergency care, and moved into new 
emerg
premises where everyone could work 
prem
together rather than in physical silos. Finally, 
togeth
Specialist care successfully retendered a 
Speci
number of its English diabetic retinopathy 
numb
screening services, helping keep millions 
scree
suffering from diabetes safe from blindness 
suffer
until 2020 and beyond.
until 2

P20
P20

Operational review

EMIS Group has grown significantly over 
the past few years. We now work in every 
major healthcare setting from primary care 
and community pharmacy, to community, 
mental health, secondary and specialist 
care. We wanted to simplify the message 
for our customers and other stakeholders, 
and align ourselves to our customers’ needs 
by focusing on integrated care and joining 
up working between all health sectors.

Patient is targeted at patients and 
citizens. With many millions of visitors a 
month, it’s an internationally recognised 
and respected brand that resonates with 
its audiences. Having rebranded as Patient 
at the beginning of June and changed the 
website address to www.patient.info, it is 
perfectly positioned to build its already 
extensive international following.

Egton’s products and services are used by 
the customers of several of our divisions, 
as well as those of our competitors in the 
healthcare market. Egton’s products are 
also used by the legal, education and retail 
sectors. For this reason, we have retained 
it as a separate brand to support its growth 
in all sectors.

Medical Imaging is to be rebranded 
to become EMIS Care, and is the most 
experienced private company in the UK 
in providing ophthalmic imaging services 
to NHS Trusts.

P2

At a glance

 Reducing health 
inequalities

6

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Vision: 
“  To support longer and healthier lives for everyone 
by providing integrated, excellent and innovative 
healthcare IT for patients and those involved in their care.”

Patients and carers also need better access 
to digital services – including access to their 
own records – to take more control of their 
care and to help them manage their own 
health, wellbeing and treatment.

P12

Strategy

  Q  Describe EMIS Group

We are not just in the business of changing 
technology, we’re also in the business 
of changing the culture of healthcare.

Chris Spencer
Chief Executive Officer
15 March 2016

  Q   What are the challenges in the 
market and how can you help? 

Funding pressures are expected to be 
pronounced in the NHS, with NHS England’s 
‘Five Year Forward View’ suggesting that 
its £30bn funding challenge will be met by 
£22bn of NHS savings and £8bn of additional 
funding. As a consequence, NHS providers 
desperately need to update their technology 
to help staff work more productively. 
So whether building our own solutions, 
partnering with the best in the world or 
growing through acquisition the Group is 
increasingly able to help the NHS deliver 
integrated care through joined up systems.

EMIS Group is well positioned to deliver 
the integrated technology offering that 
NHS Trusts increasingly seek. We are also 
well placed to support CCGs in delivering 
health and social care integration as we 
not only support NHS commissioners 
but also work with local authorities.

Working with all our key stakeholders to 
join up products including major initiatives 
between primary and secondary care 
(especially in urgent care) and also between 
community pharmacy and primary care will 
continue to be a key focus for us in 2016.

P10

Markets

  Q  What other opportunities are there?

For clinicians and care professionals, 
being able to offer a 21st century service to 
patients and clients means having access 
to all, but only, the appropriate information, 
from across health and social care services. 
Technology and data helps to improve the 
quality of services available to all of us.

Interoperability has always been 
important to EMIS Group. EMIS Health 
has become the first UK clinical systems 
provider to implement new open standards 
for interoperability in the NHS – enabling 
clinicians using its systems to securely 
share data with any other third party 
system across health and social care. 

This milestone puts in place a solid 
foundation for EMIS Health to rapidly 
evolve innovative interoperable services. 
Initially, third party systems will be able 
to securely obtain real-time primary care 
patient information, subject to tight 
information governance controls.

There are opportunities for growth 
particularly in the traditional community, 
pharmacy and secondary care markets 
as well as in the gaps between them. 
Following our success in the provision 
of screening for diabetic retinopathy 
we know there are many more people we 
can help. It’s all about preventative care 
– joining up and striving for efficiency. 

Reducing 
emergency 
admissions

Optimised 
medication

Working more 
productively

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

7

 
Strategic report

Business model
Facilitating improved clinical outcomes and 
efficiency through connected technology services.

Our key inputs

• 

Innovative connected 
technology services
•  Highly skilled people
•  Trusted brand
•  Strong relationships and 
strategically aligned with 
government, partners and 
the markets we serve
•  Strong revenue visibility 
•  Responsible leadership
•  Strong culture of caring for 
both patients and customers

t e r o perability

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C

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mprehensiv e   s u p

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What we do

•  Support the constantly evolving 
landscape of healthcare through 
well-implemented dynamic 
innovative software and services
•  Listen to customers and citizens 

and deliver what they need

•  Deliver on our connected 

product strategy to facilitate 
the use of clinical information

•  Maximise the return on our 

resources by joining them up and 
making them super-efficient

•  Ensure that information is 

available where it’s needed, 
when it’s needed

P12

Strategy

Redesigning diabetes care with the patient at the centre 

Diabetes is one of the big health challenges faced by the 
city of Liverpool, in common with a lot of areas across the UK.

“Designing the service around the clinical need of our patients has 
been key,” explained Kate Warriner, Healthy Liverpool digital care 
and innovation programme lead and iLinks managerial lead. As 
part of the Healthy Liverpool vision, healthcare teams across the 
region are working together to ensure that care of diabetic patients 
is proactive, tailored and provided locally in the community. 
Technology from EMIS Health is helping to turn the service 
redesign into reality.

“There’s no reason for anything to be missed, so it can reduce 
errors or delays in care. The clinicians love it. They can make better 
clinical decisions because they can see the impact of every aspect 
of the patient’s care plan, rather than just their own.

“Patients give us positive feedback about how convenient 
their appointments are now. For a patient living in Speke for 
example, it used to be a 40 minute bus ride to the nearest 
hospital, with often a wait to be seen once they were there. 
Now patients can visit a clinic local to home or work. It gives 
them the flexibility to fit their appointments into their lives.

A convenient service for patients 
Patients whose conditions can be managed by regular 
appointments are being seen in any of six local clinics across 
the city. Clinicians use EMIS Web to view up to date medical 
records from everyone involved in the patient’s care. “When a 
patient comes to their appointment, clinicians have everything 
they need in front of them,” explains Jan Fennell-Rutherford, 
Liverpool diabetes partnership operational manager, 
Liverpool CCG. 

Focusing on self-care 
“We use these appointments to look at self-care and self-
management of the patient’s diabetes. Improvements 
to lifestyles and wellbeing can often lead to a reduction 
in medication. We can catch any issues early, preventing 
patients from needing acute hospital care.

Better care for the ‘super six’
Diabetics in the city who need more care continue with 
hospital appointments to manage their health – 

8

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

 
Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

How we generate revenue

How we add value

Why customers choose us

Through providing:

•  Software licences
•  Software maintenance 

and support
•  Hosting services
•  Hardware installation, 

maintenance and support

•  Training, consultancy 
and implementation
•  Other support services, 

including screening services

P26

Financial review

•  Join up healthcare through 

innovative IT to give better access 
to information and so better, 
faster and cheaper patient care

•  Deliver planned returns to 

customers, clinicians, citizens, 
investors and other stakeholders
•  Ensure that healthcare maximises 
the benefits that can be attained 
through clinically focussed, 
innovative software

•  Strong cash generation through 

recurring revenues 

•  Retain and grow market share 
•  We are used in every major 
healthcare setting directly 
supporting patients and clinicians 
to provide safe and efficient care

•  We are clinically focused 
•  We are pioneering
• 
 We are joining up healthcare
•  We care about what we do

•  We assist in providing better 

patient care

•  We are their trusted supplier

P11

P19

Case study – 
Community Pharmacy

Case studies – Secondary 
& Specialist Care

those who fall under the ‘super six’ categories of diabetes, 
where the condition has the potential to be more complex, 
for example if they are pregnant, under 24 or diabetic 
foot care patients. 

The initiative is having a positive impact for these patients 
too. “By concentrating the acute services on the serious cases, 
everyone is receiving the level of care that’s appropriate to their 
condition. For example patients on an insulin pump should be 
seen four times per year; previously they were only being seen 
twice. Under the new initiative, we can see them four times per 
year and pick up any issues much earlier.” 

Future plans 
It doesn’t stop there. “We’ll be looking at improvements to services 
providing care to patients with other long term conditions, such 
as respiratory illnesses, building on our experience of redesigning 
the diabetes service,” said Kate. “More services will be provided 
to patients out of hospital and in the community using joined-up 
technology from EMIS Web – it means a more convenient service 
for patients, provided by clinicians who have all the information 
they need.”

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

9

Strategic report

Markets
Innovation in new ways of delivering care.

The NHS Five Year Forward View supports how the health service needs to 
adapt to take advantage of the opportunities offered by technology.

Experts predict a funding gap for healthcare in England by 2020/2021.

Why?

How will the gap be closed?

Demand:

Supply:

Ageing society

ALZHEIMERS

D I A B E T E S

COPD

Rise in long term 
and multiple 
conditions

Increasing 
expectation

Increasing costs 
of providing care

Limited  
productivity  
gains

Constrained 
public 
resources

A stretched 
workforce

Additional funding 
by the government

Efficiency savings 
supplied by IT

New ways of working 
(“new models of care”) 
such as integration of 
health and social care 
and  a focus on self care 
supplied by IT

How can we do things differently?

NHS Five Year Forward View suggests:

•  Providing fully interoperable electronic health records so that patients’ records are largely paperless2

•  Family doctor appointments, patient records and electronic and repeat prescribing available routinely on-line everywhere2

•  Building capability and public understanding that pharmacies and on-line resources can help deal with minor ailments1,3

•  Using technology – such as smart phones to improve patients’ access to information alongside innovative apps1

•  Bringing together hospital, GP, administrative and audit data to support the quality improvement, research 

and the identification of patients who most need health and social care support2,4

How EMIS Group  
can deliver:

4. Secondary Care

2. Primary & Community Care

3. Community Pharmacy

1. Patient

5. Specialist Care

Ambition for a digitised health and care system

That by 2020 all care records – including social care – will be digital, real time and interoperable.

10

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Wolverhampton CCG to connect pharmacies and GPs

Community pharmacists and GPs in Wolverhampton will 
soon be able to offer joined up healthcare to thousands 
of patients, using cutting edge record-sharing technology.

Wolverhampton clinical commissioning group (CCG) and 
EMIS Health have reached an agreement to jointly offer 
funding towards Pharmacy Access, a software package 
to enable local community pharmacies and GPs to securely 
share vital patient information and streamline the ordering 
and auditing of repeat prescriptions.

Pharmacies using the EMIS Health ProScript PMR system 
will be able to request repeat prescriptions electronically 
from GPs using the EMIS Web clinical system.

Pharmacists will also be able to view key clinical data in 
the GP record, including adverse reactions and allergies, 
historically prescribed acute and repeat medications, and 
test results such as the International Normalised Ratio (INR) 
thyroid function, blood pressure and blood sugars, amongst 
others. It will also facilitate advanced and enhanced services 
such as Medicines Use Reviews and the New Medicine Service.

The CCG is now inviting all 27 pharmacies and 35 GP 
practices in the area using ProScript and EMIS Web 
systems to roll out the technology. 

The rollout will incorporate robust protocols to protect 
patient confidentiality. Patients must provide documented 
consent before the pharmacist can view their GP record. 
Access to the GP record within the pharmacy is governed 
by highly secure role-based access controls enforced by 
NHS Smart Cards.

Sheila Gregory, project implementation officer at 
Wolverhampton CCG said: “We are excited to be offering 
pharmacists Pharmacy Access, which shows what is 
possible with joined up healthcare. We look forward to 
measuring the clinical and administrative benefits over 
the next few months as the project gets up and running.”

Ian Taylor, managing director of community pharmacy 
at EMIS Health said: “This is a timely project that supports 
the pharmacy profession’s desire to play a greater role 
in the care of patients, through secure and relevant access 
to patient information.

“It will also benefit patients themselves, by better joining 
up their care.”

Pharmacy Access is currently in place in over 150 other 
community pharmacies across the country.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

11

Strategic report

Strategy
Considerable progress in integrating care, 
connecting our own and third party products 
and centralising Group services.

2015 achievements

1

2

Integrated departments

Financial performance

How did we achieve this?

How did we achieve this?

•  Significant progress towards formation of a single software 
development function across EMIS Group in 2016 to bring 
efficiencies and shared learning.

•  Primary, community and commissioning business models 
harmonised. As well as providing a cohesive service to 
primary and out-of-hospital providers and commissioners, 
this platform will enable closer working with in-hospital 
and community pharmacy teams to support our integrated 
customers and health economies.

•  Centralisation of Group services bringing efficiencies.
•  Vidyo (local hosted video conferencing) rolled out to the 
entire Group to facilitate virtual collaboration and reduce 
travel cost and time.

•  Roll-out of EMIS Web in England and Wales completed.
•  Five year contract signed with AAH Pharmaceuticals 
not only extending the current agreement covering 
AAH customers but also to include the whole Lloyds 
Pharmacy estate.

•  Acquired Pinbellcom, a leading supplier of administration 

and compliance software.

•  2014 acquisitions of Indigo 4 and Medical Imaging both 

performing well.

•  Significant progress towards the introduction of 

an enterprise resource planning solution for finance, 
procurement and warehousing.

P26

Financial review

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Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

3

People

4

Strategic customer engagement

How did we achieve this?

How did we achieve this?

•  Development of a transformational people strategy. The HR 
team has been restructured and an HR Business Partner 
model introduced for each business with a centralised 
services team providing administrative support.

•  Launch of our first Group-wide employee engagement 
survey, Your Say. Results briefings took place across all 
of our teams. Local action plans were created, as was 
a wider cross-Group action plan that aims to join up our 
people and processes. “Town Hall” sessions took place 
across the Group at least annually. 

•  Board level development has strengthened the senior 

team, whilst individual and team training courses, NVQs 
and induction programmes have continued to take place 
in all our businesses.

•  Dedicated internal communication function created. 

A company intranet shares news and resources across 
the whole Group, whilst a bi-monthly magazine, Link, 
brings to life stories about our people, our customers 
and our competitive environment. 

•  Enhanced approach to recruitment, moving to a candidate 
centric approach with the most up to date recruitment 
tools and methods.

P30

Sustainability

•  Secured final lot of GPSoC-R contract with NHS England.
•  Successful delivery of Phase 1 of the integrated care 

contract for the entirety of Gibraltar, initially connecting 
primary, community, outpatient clinics, A&E and community 
pharmacy and planning for the balance services including 
extended acute care.

•  There are now 44 CCGs across the UK where EMIS Web 

is the single primary care system. 21 of these have EMIS 
Web as the single system across both primary 
and community. 

•  Five year contract signed with AAH Pharmaceuticals 
not only extending the current agreement covering 
AAH customers but also to include the whole Lloyds 
Pharmacy estate.

•  Launch of EMIS Health Pathfinder programme with 

12 selected health economies working closely on strategy 
alignment, product and service development. Workstreams 
include interoperability, mobile working, benefits realisation, 
enterprise working and data sharing models.

Phase 1, Gibraltar, connecting:

Primary 
Care

A&E

Outpatient 
prescribing

Community 
Pharmacy

Gibraltar launch day:

  The first baby born in Gibraltar today was 
registered by the maternity team on EMIS 
Health systems. 

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

13

Strategic report

Strategy continued

2015 achievements continued

5

6

One system product and brand strategy

Improved clinical outcomes

How did we achieve this?

How did we achieve this?

•  EMIS Health’s Personal Health Record (PHR) – integrated 
with Apple’s HealthKit – enables UK citizens to manage 
their own health in partnership with their GP and other 
health professionals. Patients connect with their PHR via 
the Patient Access smartphone app, which can also be 
used to book GP appointments and view life-long 
medical records.

•  EMIS Web made available in Urgent Care Centre at Royal 
Free Hospital – impact on clinical care by reducing A&E 
admissions. See page 5.

•  Pilots underway in East London to assess the use 

of EMIS Web for primary care in a pharmacy setting.
•  Committed to interoperability enabling EMIS Health to 
interoperate with any other healthcare supplier. As well 
as direct (point-to-point) solutions also first to market 
with one-to-many interoperability through adoption 
and delivery of NHS open API standards. This cements 
existing agreements and opens up new opportunities 
especially in new models of care.

Apple 
Health

Patient
Access

EMIS 
Web

•  Clinical software businesses rebranded as EMIS 

Health emphasising the commitment to provision 
of integrated solutions.

•  Group integrated product board and product evolution 
roadmap in place to ensure alignment across the Group.

•  Child Health product completed and enhanced Mental 
Health product in use in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

•  EMIS Group drugs database extended to support 

community pharmacy and work on-going on knowledge 
bases for use in secondary care pharmacy to reduce 
duplication, wasted resource and potential error. 

•  Full Enterprise Working is in early adopter phase (EAP). 
This supports GP federated working, and extended 
hours in primary care and urgent care.

•  Resource Publisher is also in EAP, allowing users to share 
EMIS Web templates, protocols, searches and concepts.
•  All new products now based on the EMIS Health Framework 
(EHF), which is the underlying scalable and modular 
platform for EMIS Web.

•  Dispensing Doctors is in pilot enabling dispensing 

GP Practices to use the ProScript community pharmacy 
solution to dispense electronic prescriptions via EPSr2. This 
further strengthens the links between general practice and 
community pharmacy both at product and customer levels.

  The decision by suppliers to openly interoperate 
with all other systems using open initiatives, free 
of charge, is pivotal to the future of healthcare.  

Beverley Bryant, Director of Digital Technology, 

NHS England

14

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

 
Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

7

8

New Patient online services

Becoming a clinical services provider

How did we achieve this?

How did we achieve this?

•  Patient.co.uk rebranded as Patient.info enabling greater 

international availability.

•  Core functionality within Patient Access and online 

services enabled by 99% of all the Group’s GP practices.

•  Patient won nine awards including in both health 
categories in this year’s Website of the Year Awards 
and voted as Britain’s Best Health Website and 
Most Popular Health Website.

•  National and international expanded opportunities 

investigated and now moving toward implementation.

•  Acquisition of Medical Imaging (now EMIS Care) secured 
leading position in the outsourced diabetic retinopathy 
eye screening market.

•  Significant level of tenders for the provision of diabetic 
screening services across the country. Future screening 
provision business secured for at least five years through 
winning four material contracts across England.

P20

Operational review

  Our uptake for diabetic eye screening was 
72-73% in 2011 against a target of 70%. But now 
we’re hitting 85% uptake. And that’s with an 
ever-growing patient list. 

 Suzanne Beshara, Programme Manager 
Bradford and Airedale NHS Diabetic 
Eye Screening Programme

Our 2016 priorities

1. One EMIS Group

2. Deliver financial performance

3. People: communication engagement and development

4. Strategic customer and stakeholder engagement

5. Deliver a “one system brand and product strategy”

6. Differentiate through improved clinical outcomes

7. Further enhancement of Patient Online Services

8. Consolidate clinical services provision

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

15

 
Strategic report

Principal risks and uncertainties

Management of risk.

Our Risk Management Framework

The Board has overall responsibility for ensuring risk is 
appropriately managed across the Group. The Group maintains 
risk registers for each operating division, as well as one for corporate 
and functional risks. These are consolidated to form the Group’s 
strategic risk register. This register is considered by the CEO and 
then reviewed and discussed by the Group Executive Board before 
being submitted at each Board meeting. The audit committee 
provides independent review and challenge, and Internal Audit 
provides independent assurance on key risks.

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. These risks are not intended to be an extensive 
analysis of all risks that may arise in the ordinary course 
of business or otherwise.

The principal financial risks are disclosed in note 3 to the 
financial statements.

P36

Corporate governance

P43

Audit committee

Board of Directors 
Ownership and monitoring

Audit committee 
Independent review 
and challenge

Group internal audit 
Independent, objective 
assurance

Chief Executive Officer 
Review and input

Group Executive Board
Operational risk input 
Corporate risk review

Divisional risk registers

Description of risk and link to strategic priorities

How we mitigate the risk

Healthcare structure and procurement changes

1

5

2

6

3

7

4

8

The Group is dependent on the strategic direction of the NHS 
in respect of how it plans to make use of available IT innovations 
to reduce its costs and improve its efficiency.

The ability to sell hosted and managed products to the healthcare 
community can be affected by the way the NHS procures goods 
and services. The NHS is constantly looking for ways to reduce 
its cost base and improve efficiency. This may include how it is 
organised and how it procures goods and services, including 
outsourcing services.

There is a risk that EMIS Group’s services are not aligned with the 
strategic requirements of the healthcare providers or that these 
requirements change with successive governments.

To ensure it is not disadvantaged by changes in healthcare structures 
and procurement policies, EMIS Group ensures that its strategies are 
closely aligned with government policies.

Specific actions taken to mitigate this risk include:

•  close engagement with the NHS at both strategic and tactical levels; 
•  working to ensure the Group is perceived not just as a GP supplier but 
as a supplier of connected IT healthcare solutions covering a wide range 
of healthcare sectors including pharmacies, secondary care, specialist, 
community social care and mental health as well as primary care;
•  proactive response to published NHS plans and changes in structures e.g. 
the NHS Five Year Forward View and the development of GP federations;

•  regular monitoring and analysis of our markets and competitors;
•  development of clear, integrated market and product strategies;
•  ongoing review of our sales team structures including establishing 

an integrated sales board to better manage pan-healthcare economy 
procurement structures;

•  development of a strategic mental health solution; and
•  development of next generation pharmacy software.

16

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Governance

Financial statements

Description of risk and link to strategic priorities

How did we mitigate the risk?

Product integration and interoperability

1

6

2

7

4

5

The Group’s core strategy is to provide IT healthcare systems, across 
a range of healthcare sectors, which are integrated with each other 
and interoperable with other non-Group systems. This efficiently 
aligns technology and workflows and enables realisation of the 
best clinical safety and financial outcomes.

Failure to achieve this could have a significant impact on the Group’s 
ability to meet the government’s healthcare technology requirements and 
to sell its products and services to the NHS and others in the longer term.

In order to achieve its objectives the Group has, in recent years, 
acquired several businesses across a range of healthcare sectors. There 
is a risk that these businesses do not function effectively as a Group, 
impacting on the success of product integration.

Software development and hosting

1

6

2

8

3

4

The Group’s core products are critical to the efficient and effective 
operation of a wide range of healthcare organisations and they are 
designed and developed to meet the exacting standards of our key 
customers and the needs of patients and carers.

The technical or physical failure of our systems, during development, 
implementation or in everyday use could lead to disruption or 
complete service denial of high profile public services.

The Group physically hosts a significant proportion of the patient 
information that supports our systems and this creates significant 
risks associated with information security and system reliability. 
These risks are covered separately in more detail under 
Information Governance.

Recruitment and retention

2

3

6

8

The Group is reliant on the skills and knowledge of its people in a 
wide range of areas, but especially in software development, clinical 
safety and information technology systems. 

Failure to recruit and retain an appropriate number of suitably 
qualified people in critical areas could lead to a deterioration in the 
quality of our products and services. This could lead to us failing to 
meet our customers’ needs, losing their business and to the Group 
failing to deliver expected financial returns to shareholders.

The Group has taken a range of actions designed to bring together 
its products and to create synergies across the Group.

•  Board level responsibility for product and acquisition integration 

with a clear strategic plan and regular monitoring;

•  established Group standards to share and mandate best practice in, for 
example, software development, customer support, project implementation, 
clinical safety governance and cross-sector product integration;

•  regular meetings of integration boards;
•  all integrated product implementations include a clinical safety review;
•  Group product branding introduced under a common brand – 

EMIS Health;

•  open API strategy to enable the Group to work with any other 

supplier; and

•  extending connectivity between the Group and third party 

provider solutions.

In order to ensure the secure and effective development, implementation 
and hosting of new and existing products, the Group has in place a range 
of mitigating actions including: 

•  development brought together as a Group function and a strategy 

to lead effective development prioritisation;

•  a staged new system implementation process that minimises 
disruption and tests system operation on pilot systems before 
wider implementation;

•  ring-fencing of development teams to preserve sensitive data security 

• 

and integrity;
ISO certified secure IT hosting facilities. Dual hosting sites operating 
in real-time enable almost instant fail-over; and

•  disaster recovery plans in place, tested, externally challenged 

and reviewed regularly.

Key actions implemented or commenced during the year include:

•  development of a people strategy with a wide-ranging remit to review 

practices across the Group;

•  providing an environment for improved communication, engagement 

and development including a Group-wide intranet;

•  recruitment of budgeted resource to deliver planned projects;
•  succession plans in place for key roles, which are regularly reviewed;
•  undertaking a pay and benefits review to establish greater 
consistency across the Group and benchmarking externally;

•  employee satisfaction surveys including suggestions for improvement; and
• 

investment in modern, inspirational and motivational working 
environments for employees.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

17

Strategic report

Principal risks and uncertainties continued

Description of risk and link to strategic priorities

How did we mitigate the risk?

Information Governance and Security

3

4

6

1

8

The Group is responsible for hosting over 40 million individual 
patient records containing confidential and sensitive personal data. 

Our systems contribute towards the efficient operation of GP surgeries, 
hospitals, pharmacies and other healthcare providers through the 
secure, reliable and accurate processing of such information.

There are significant risks associated with managing and hosting 
such information, including loss, theft or corruption of data. 

The Group recognises that the trust placed in it by Government, 
by healthcare providers and by citizens is fundamental to the 
success of our business. Our reputation rests on our integrity and the 
quality of stewardship we apply to such sensitive and valuable data.

The Group invests heavily in ensuring that the physical and logical controls 
in place over hardware and software systems are strong. Mitigating controls 
in place and actions taken to manage this risk include:

•  strong physical controls over building and server room access;
•  attainment and maintenance of ISO 27001 certification, including 

an in-house ISO quality assurance team;

•  regular penetration testing and denial of service attack simulations;
•  strong information governance culture including NHS standard 

training for all relevant employees;

•  documented and externally-tested business continuity and disaster 

recovery plans; and

•  maintenance of duplicate servers at physically separate locations 

with virtually real-time failover capability.

Viability statement

While there is no requirement for the Group 
to comply fully with the UK Corporate 
Governance Code, the Directors have 
voluntarily adopted the provision of 
section C.2.2 and assessed the viability of 
the Group over a three year period, taking 
into account the Group’s current position 
and the potential impact of the principal 
risks and uncertainties set out on 
pages 16 to 18. 

The Directors have determined that a 
three year period to March 2019 constitutes 
an appropriate period over which to provide 
the Group’s viability statement. This is the 
period focussed on by the Board during 
the strategic planning process and is also 
aligned to typical contract lengths across 
much of the Group (three to five years).

For the purpose of making this statement, 
the Board has taken into account its ongoing 
robust assessment of the principal risks 
facing the Group, including those that 

would threaten its business model, future 
performance, solvency or liquidity. Each 
year, the Board considers a three year 
bottom-up strategic plan together with 
the ability of the Group to raise finance 
and undertake mitigating actions to avoid 
or reduce the impact or occurrence of the 
underlying risks.

In addition, the following risks were 
subjected to enhanced stress testing: 
healthcare structure and procurement 
changes, integration, software development 
and hosting, recruitment and retention, 
and reputational risk through information 
governance and security. The Group’s 
strong contractual forward visibility of 
revenues, significant cash resources and 
strong cash conversion provide some 
inherent protection against unexpected 
shocks to the business model. Also, the 
ability to adjust the Group’s cost base 
protects its viability in the face of adverse 
economic conditions and/or political events.

Based upon the robust assessment of the 
principal risks facing the Group and their 
stress-testing based on an assessment of 
the Group’s prospects, as described above, 
the Directors have a reasonable expectation 
that the Group will be able to continue in 
operation and meet its liabilities as they 
fall due over the period to March 2019, 
subject to the following key assumptions:

•  funding for the business will 
continue to be available in all 
plausible market conditions;

•  mitigating actions to reduce the 
impact of principal risk can be 
successfully undertaken, including 
cost management; and

•  the political environment in which 

the NHS exists will not result in major 
structural change to the market 
in which the Group operates.

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Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

EMIS Health’s ePMA improves patient safety in East Lancashire

Using ePMA immediately eliminated most of these errors. 
When examining ‘charts’ for five ePMA wards in the same 
time period, only three recorded errors were reported. 
Spelling and legibility issues plus incomplete prescriptions 
are things of the past. 

Reliable and robust auditing and reporting

Ruth Townson, ePMA lead for the trust, commented: 
“ePMA has significantly improved our audit capability; 
it has given us the ability to really drill down into the 
information and perform root cause analysis if an 
issue arises.”

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is seeing 
a dramatic reduction in drug chart errors, combined 
with improvements in guideline adherence supported by 
prescribing decision support, using EMIS Health’s software. 

By having an integrated ePMA (E-Prescribing and 
Medicines Administration), eMM (electronic medicines 
management), pharmacy dispensing and stock control 
solution, provided by EMIS Health, interfaced to a dispensing 
robot, ELHT have improved operational efficiencies. Pharmacy 
technicians and pharmacists are enabled to influence 
prescribing at ward level and process supply requests 
electronically rather than sending paper to the dispensary. 
Human error is reduced by removing transcription errors 
and the use of templates to select prescriptions. Technology 
speeds up the entire medication requesting process so 
the potential to work with more reliable turnaround 
times for ‘Orders to Pharmacy’ is being realised.

Paperless drug charts reduce medication errors

One of ELHT’s core clinical indicators for reporting incidents 
is medication errors. They have measured a sample of 
paper drug charts from non-ePMA wards and noted that 
98.7% of paper drug charts had an error of some form. 

Improving uptake of screening services in Bradford and Airedale 

Improving processes 

EMIS Care provides full administration of the service. 
Suzanne explains: “We changed our way of offering 
appointments - we tested sending out a pre-booked 
date and time instead of an invitation to book. It worked 
– we measured the effect of this change and our 
attendance rates increased.” 

Support from technology 

The project has been supported by EMIS Health software 
– the UK’s leading provider in diabetic retinopathy 
screening software. 

An award-winning diabetic eye screening service in 
Bradford has seen a 10-15% improvement in patient 
screening services since being run by EMIS Care.

If undetected, diabetic retinopathy can lead to 
irreversible blindness. But when caught early, 
it can be treated and blindness prevented. 

Suzanne Beshara, Programme Manager, Bradford 
and Airedale NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme 
explains: “Our uptake was 72-73% in 2011 against a target 
of 70%. But now we’re hitting 85% uptake. And that’s with 
an ever-growing patient list – we had 22,000 patients 
nine years ago, now we have 35,000.” 

A complex issue 

Suzanne explains: “A patient’s vision is usually unaffected 
until retinopathy gets to the most serious point. So a lot 
of people assume they’re fine and don’t come for their 
appointments. Our job is to convince them to come in, 
be screened, and sort out any issues now while they can.” 

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

19

Strategic report

Operational review
Another strong year for EMIS Group.

Chief Executive’s overview 

EMIS Group had another strong year in 
2015, delivering a 13% increase in revenue 
and a 12% rise in adjusted operating profit, 
achieved both organically and through 
the recently acquired businesses. Overall, 
results for the year were in line with the 
Board’s expectations and the Group 
increased its like-for-like operating 
margin from 23.7% to 24.4%. 

In Primary & Community Care, the Group 
made further market share gains, growing 
the number of Clinical Commissioning 
Groups (CCGs) that are 100% EMIS Health 
Primary Care, while continuing to convert 
its significant CCMH sales pipeline into 
contract wins. 

In Community Pharmacy, the Group 
maintained its leading position in the 
independent pharmacy market, securing 
and extending major contracts, which will 
add up to 1,800 supermarket pharmacies 
to EMIS Health’s Community Pharmacy 
estate over the next 18 months. 

In Secondary & Specialist Care, the 
business was impacted by delays to 
hospital contract awards resulting in 
a disappointing year, despite having 
benefitted from good performances 
from Indigo 4 and Medical Imaging, both 
acquired during the second half of 2014. 
However, the new Secondary Care 
management team has put in place 
operational improvements which are 
expected to position it for stronger 
performance in 2016. 

On 24 June 2015, the Group’s clinical 
software businesses were rebranded 
as EMIS Health, to simplify the branding 
message and emphasise the Group’s 
strategic commitment to the provision of 
integrated solutions to help connect care.

The Group’s revenue visibility, order book 
and pipeline remain strong, with the 
Group achieving 20% growth in recurring 
revenue for the period.

Operational review

EMIS Group is a major provider of 
healthcare software, information 
technology and related services in the UK. 
It has maintained or grown its already 
strong market share in every major area 
of healthcare: Primary & Community, 
Community Pharmacy and Secondary 
& Specialist. This means the Group can 
facilitate the NHS’s connected care 
strategy across every major UK 
healthcare setting through organic 
growth, partnering or acquisition. 
This is a unique position. 

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EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

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Governance

Financial statements

  Moving all GP practices to EMIS Web is the first of a 
series of steps to enable us to deliver primary care at 
scale across our area. 

 Tim Berry 

General Manager, IT projects, Warwickshire ICT Services

Primary & Community Care – Revenue up 
5%, Adjusted Operating Profit up 12%

dates for the present call off agreements 
already range from 2019 until 2020. 

EMIS Health – Primary Care (EHPC)

The Group has delivered another 
excellent performance in primary care. 
Its customers remained extremely loyal: 
74% of the Group’s English GP practices 
have been EMIS Health users for over a 
decade. In addition, the Group’s UK 
primary care market share rose again 
to 55% (2014: 53%) and the number of 
100% EHPC CCGs rose from 32 to 44 
during the year. This means that 21% 
of CCGs are now 100% EHPC and so 
are able to connect primary care across 
the whole of their local health economy. 
Work has begun to identify newly 
forming CCG clusters across England 
with the aim of supporting them in 
developing their digital roadmaps, 
which are due for submission to the 
NHS in April 2016. 

The Group was awarded a place on Lot 3 
of the English GP Systems of Choice 
(GPSoC) framework on 27 March 2015. 
Lot 3 covers services that integrate with 
Lot 1 principal clinical systems to deliver 
end-to-end interoperability between GP 
practices and other care settings. Along 
with success for the Group in 2014 on the 
Lot 1 and Lot 2 frameworks, this award 
has secured the contractual arrangements 
for GP software funding in England for a 
period of up to the next six years. 

In Wales, the roll-out programme from 
the older EMIS LV product to EMIS Web 
for primary care was completed as 
planned during 2015. Discussions have 
begun about renewal of the primary care 
framework agreement, while the expiry 

In Northern Ireland, a number of sites 
moved from piloting EMIS Web to go-live 
in November 2015. The final business case 
(for the communications infrastructure) 
was approved by the Northern Irish 
authority in late December 2015. The 
planned phasing for the implementation 
is for approximately half of the sites to 
be rolled out in 2016 with the remainder 
following in 2017. 

Planning has begun for the development 
changes needed for Scotland to move 
from the Group’s older PCS software to 
EMIS Web. The method of procurement 
(under a pre-existing framework or by 
a new formal tender) has not yet been 
decided but is expected to take place 
in 2016. 

The current UK Ministry of Defence 
contract was extended during the year 
in association with the lead contractor 
(CGI, formerly Logica). This extends the 
contract, for a variant of the Group’s PCS 
software, until April 2019. There is also a 
further one year extension if required by 
the Ministry of Defence. Discussions are 
ongoing about the replacement of PCS 
with EMIS Web. 

Patient Access is the way the Group 
provides patients with access to 
healthcare-related transactional services 
e.g. online appointment booking, access 
to the summary care record, ordering 
of repeat prescriptions and secure 
messaging. In the second half of the year, 
the Group began to receive revenues for 
these transactions under Lot 1 of GPSoC. 
By the end of 2015 the core functionality 
within Patient Access had been enabled 

by 99% of all the Group’s GP practices 
(2014: 39%). In 2016 transactional services 
will be extended by NHS requirement 
to include a detailed care record.

Throughout 2015 the Group further 
developed its proprietary personal health 
record within Patient Access, linking with 
Apple’s HealthKit. These records, for 
example, have been able to help prevent 
false positive readings (the “white coat 
effect”) in hypertensive patients, saving 
them from having to take medication and 
saving the NHS the cost of unnecessary 
GP visits and medication. Initial 
development work was also completed 
on “untethered registration” for Patient 
Access and this is now in testing. This 
will enable Patient Access to engage with 
clinical or other systems beyond EMIS 
Web e.g. EMIS Health CCMH, Community 
Pharmacy, Secondary & Specialist and third 
party suppliers in the UK and elsewhere. 
The Group will shortly release another 
proprietary upgrade giving patients the 
ability to share all or part of their record 
with a health professional or other carer 
using a secure link or a QR code. 

EMIS Health – Child Community & Mental 
Health (CCMH)

The Group’s CCMH team has delivered 
another great year of progress, working 
both on roll-outs and new sales to grow 
the Group’s market share to 12% (2014: 8%), 
significantly exceeding the budgeted 10% 
target. During 2015, the team supported 
17 NHS Trusts (or equivalent enterprise 
healthcare organisations) to take their 
clinical services live using EMIS Web, 
on-schedule and on-budget, and 
now supports over 16,500 users 
(2014: 10,000 users).

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

21

 
Strategic report

Operational review continued

Primary & Community Care continued

EMIS Health – Child Community & Mental 
Health (CCMH) continued

The Group’s unique offering in CCMH 
(connecting care pathways through EMIS 
Web for primary care in particular) enabled 
conversion of a significant sales pipeline 
into contract wins with a total value of over 
£10m in the year including (*indicates wins 
not previously announced):

•  Cheshire and Wirral Partnership 
NHS Foundation Trust (extension 
to existing contract)

•  First Community Health & Care CIC 

(from Servelec)

•  Bromley Healthcare CIC 

(from Servelec)

•  St Andrews Healthcare (new contract)

•  Marie Curie Cancer Care (new contract)

•  NHS Tayside Health Board 

(new contract)

•  Sentinel Healthcare Southwest 
Community Interest Company 
(from TPP)

•  St Peter’s Hospice (from iCare)

•  East Cheshire NHS Trust (extension 

to existing contract)

•  East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 

(from CSC/iSoft)* 

•  Trafford CCG (from Civica)*

•  Central Manchester Foundation Trust 

(from CSC/iSoft)*

•  Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 

(from CSC/iSoft)*

•  Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals NHS 

Trust (from CSC/iSoft)*

•  Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS 
Foundation Trust (extension to 
existing contract)*

•  Bristol Community Health CIC 

(extension to existing contract)*

Since the year end there have also been 
the following wins, reflecting a good start 
towards the targeted 15% market share 
by the end of 2016:

•  South Tyneside NHS Trust (from TPP)*

•  Stockport NHS Foundation Trust 
(extension to existing contract)*

Bolstering the Group’s unique position 
in connected care, in addition to the 
substantial increase in the number of 
100% EHPC CCGs, the Group has now 
secured over 10% of CCGs where EMIS 
Health is the sole supplier in both primary 
care and CCMH.

To build and maintain this connected 
care advantage, a number of structural 
changes were made to the teams within 
EHPC and CCMH. These better align the 
Group’s primary care and CCMH product 
sets with six provider markets (primary 
care, community, child health, mental 
health, out of hospital clinical services 
and patient facing services). Integrated 
teams now cover all these primary 
care and CCMH customers across sales, 
account management, training, support, 
operations and product development. 
This not only embeds EMIS Web within 
the existing primary care and CCMH 
user base but it also creates further 
opportunities e.g. in clinical services, 
urgent and emergency care, community 
pharmacy and in secondary care. 

Patient

The Group’s Patient business accounts for 
a relatively small proportion of revenues, 
but is becoming more strategically 
important. Helping patients proactively 
manage their own care is a key part of 

government and provider healthcare 
strategy in the UK and internationally.

Patient is a multi-award winning, UK 
trademark registered, online portal 
providing patients with clinically written 
and peer-reviewed health and well-being 
information. Patient rebranded from 
Patient.co.uk and moved to Patient.info 
(a top level domain) in June 2015. This 
was with the intention of facilitating 
acceleration in the growth of Patient 
especially in even greater national and 
international engagement.

As expected, the short term effect of 
the domain move was to reduce traffic 
temporarily. This is now returning towards 
pre-move levels. As at January 2016, 
international visits were up to nearly 70% 
of the total (from 55% prior to the domain 
move). Visitor growth also continued in 
January, reaching 13m unique visitors 
and 25m page views. Patient also has 
over 1.1m likes on Facebook and 28,000 
followers on Twitter.

Patient developed and started to 
progress further engagement strategies 
(including mobile optimisation, 
personalisation and internationalisation 
of content) as well as redeveloping its 
advertising campaign platform and is 
now exploring monetisation opportunities 
beyond advertising. With that in mind, 
Patient.Info Limited has been incorporated 
as a wholly owned subsidiary of EMIS 
Group plc and a recruitment process is 
now underway to secure a digital leader 
to drive further growth and open up new 
horizons for the business.

Egton – Non-clinical ICT solutions 
and services

Pinbellcom Group Limited (“Pinbellcom”) 
was acquired on 14 July 2015 for £3.0m 
net of cash acquired. Pinbellcom has been 
swiftly integrated and rebranded as Egton 
Digital. It has performed well and was 

22

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

  One of the main benefits of electronic prescribing and 
medicines administration is that the drug charts are available 
to several health care professionals at once. 

Amanda Parkinson 

Lead ePMA pharmacist

earnings enhancing during the year, 
selling and implementing not only the 
acquired Pinbellcom administration and 
compliance software for both the primary 
and the secondary care markets but also 
pre-existing software and services 
including GP practice websites. 

Community Pharmacy – Revenue up 9%, 
Adjusted Operating Profit up 10%

EMIS Health – Community Pharmacy 
(EHCP)

EHCP has again delivered encouraging 
performance while laying the foundations 
for significant future growth. Through 
EHCP the Group maintained its position 
as the provider of the single most widely 
used community pharmacy dispensary 
management system in the UK with 
a market share of 36% (2014: 36%).

EHCP is already the clear leader in the 
independent community pharmacy 
market. Additionally, and as previously 
announced, on 16 December 2015 a five 
year contract was signed with AAH 
Pharmaceuticals Limited (AAH). This 
renewed the pre-existing agreement 
covering the Group’s independent estate 
linked with AAH. It also extended the 
agreement to include the Lloyds Pharmacy 
estate. This will add up to 1,800 supermarket 
pharmacies to the EHCP estate over the 
next 18 months. Once the roll-out is 
complete, nearly half of all community 
pharmacy sites in the UK (close to 7,000 
sites) will be using a solution provided by 
EMIS Health. By 2017 this will make EHCP 
the largest software and services provider 
in the community pharmacy dispensary 
management market. 

EHCP has also developed a suite of 
integrated products enabling direct 
connections between pharmacists, GPs 
and patients. Pharmacy Access links 
directly with a GP’s EMIS Web system 

to provide pharmacists with better 
visibility of a patient’s medical history 
combined with the ability to request 
repeat prescriptions electronically. 
ProScript Connect, the Group’s next 
generation dispensary pharmacy 
management product, began successful 
pilots in Wales in the final quarter of 2015. 

EMIS Web for Community Pharmacy 
successfully completed end-to-end 
testing between primary care and 
community pharmacy, and is now at the 
pilot stage. This will provide functionality 
and data to assist community pharmacies 
seeking to provide extended primary 
care services such as smoking cessation, 
influenza injections, and the monitoring of 
certain long term conditions. Planning of 
implementation, pricing and sales is now 
ongoing in readiness for a 2017 launch. 

Secondary & Specialist Care – Revenue 
up 42%, Adjusted Operating Profit up 22%

EMIS Health – Secondary Care (EHSC)

While overall there was revenue growth, 
the slower than hoped for rate of contract 
awards in the period led to a lower than 
expected revenue and profit contribution 
for the second consecutive year. 
A completely new senior management 
team for EHSC was appointed during the 
course of 2015 and has made significant 
and ongoing progress in refocusing the 
business for the future. Fundamental 
changes now being implemented are 
expected to show results that will benefit 
the top and bottom lines in the future. 

The strong sales pipeline continues to be 
reviewed and expanded by a restructured, 
closely managed, sales team, with a focus 
on smaller and medium size deals to 
mitigate any potential slippage in large 
size deals, so reinforcing expectations 
of a better performance in the coming 
year. Recent contract wins include:

•  Hospital pharmacy system – 

North Midlands Trust

•  Patient administration system – 
appointment as preferred bidder

•  E-prescribing and medicines 

administration (ePMA) – St Andrew’s

•  Endoscopy solution – Epsom 

& St Helier Hospital

•  Document management solution – 

East Cheshire

The new management team has delivered 
a step change in software release quality, 
with changes in development and testing 
resulting in a material reduction in bugs. 
Operational improvements are beginning 
to show results with customers too, as 
evidenced by an increase in customers 
promoting the solutions (helped by faster 
and easier upgrade processes) and a 
reduction in customer complaints, all 
delivered with a leaner, more focussed 
pool of resource. The Group sees these 
operational improvements as clear 
leading indicators of expected improved 
financial performance in 2016. 

Looking further out, the product roadmap 
has been subject to a detailed review and 
refresh, with renewed focus on rationalising 
the product set and on the convergence 
agenda with the EMIS Health Framework. 
This further integration is critical to 
delivering on customer requirements for 
connected care and data flows across 
organisational boundaries within the NHS.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

23

 
Strategic report

Operational review continued

Secondary & Specialist Care – Revenue 
up 42%, Adjusted Operating Profit up 22% 
continued

EMIS Health - Secondary Care (EHSC) 
continued

On 15 February 2016, EHSC announced 
a strategic decision to focus on its core 
markets and to leverage the EMIS Health 
development centre in India, whilst 
exiting its Australian, New Zealand and 
Kenyan operations (established by the 
Ascribe business prior to acquisition by 
EMIS Group). As a result, while all existing 
customer contracts will be honoured, 
there will be a phased reduction in the 
size of the teams (totalling approximately 
40 staff) in those locations leading to a 
final closure of the Kenyan office at the 
end of June 2016 and of the Australian 
and New Zealand operations by no later 
than December 2017.

In parallel with the above announcements, 
EHSC in the UK undertook a further number 
of targeted redundancies in February 2016 
with the aim of strengthening the core 
secondary care business. The costs 
associated with these staff reductions in 
EHSC are not material and will principally 
be expensed in the first half of 2016, with 
the second half of the year benefitting 
from a lower cost base as a result.

In conclusion, the above actions are 
expected to deliver a significantly 
improved performance in 2016 and 
enhanced prospects going forward.

EMIS Health – Specialist & Care (EHS&C)

EHS&C delivered a strong set of results 
for the year, consolidating its leading 
market position and preparing for further 
growth opportunities in 2016. 

EMIS Health Specialist remains the 
leading provider of diabetic eye screening 
software and other ophthalmology-related 
solutions, with an English market share 
(measured by programmes) of 79% 
(2014: 82%), with the slight reduction 
reflecting programme border changes 
rather than any reduction in activity.

The announcement by Public Health 
England on 27 January 2016 of its 
intention to procure a single English 
diabetic eye screening programme 
software solution provides a new growth 
opportunity. NHS England will support 
Public Health England in the procurement 
and implementation of the national 
software, to achieve standardised local 
programme operation through common 
IT system design and core functionality 
by October 2017.

Medical Imaging, to be rebranded EMIS 
Care in April 2016, remains the clear 
market leader in outsourced diabetic eye 
screening and ophthalmology imaging 
services. Acquired by the Group in 
December 2014, it continues to perform 
well and was earnings enhancing in 
the year. 

Future screening provision business was 
secured for at least five years through 
winning the following diabetic eye 
screening programme contracts across 
England with an aggregate total contract 
value of over £28m:

•  South West London 

•  Newcastle & Gateshead

•  Arden, Herefordshire & Worcestershire

A number of further material contracts are 
already being tendered in 2016, providing 
the potential to build further on the proven 
track record of delivery of the business. 

Integrated Care, Products & Services

The Group has made considerable 
progress during the year in integrating 
care, connecting its own and third party 
products and centralising Group services. 
This is vital to facilitate faster, better, 
more cost-effective care for the NHS and 
revenue growth and improved margin for 
the Group. 

Integrating Care

The first phase of the Group’s whole 
healthcare economy contract, to deliver 
a fully integrated electronic patient record 
for Gibraltar, went live in June 2015. This 
links and integrates the Group’s products 
in accident & emergency, outpatient 
clinics, community services, primary care 
and community pharmacy. The second 
phase, including further integration into 
the hospital environment and improved 
order communications, is now underway 
and progressing well.

As another example of the Group’s ability 
to connect healthcare, Wolverhampton 
CCG is financially supporting activation of 
Pharmacy Access at all 27 pharmacies in 
its area which use ProScript and interact 
with EMIS Web GP surgeries. This will 
enable those pharmacies to request 
repeat prescriptions electronically from 
GPs using the EMIS Web clinical system.

Pharmacists will also be able to view key 
clinical data in the GP record, including 
adverse reactions and allergies, historically 
prescribed acute and repeat medications, 
and test results such as the International 
Normalised Ratio (INR) thyroid function, 
blood pressure and blood sugars. This link 
will also facilitate advanced and enhanced 
services such as Medicines Use Reviews 
and the New Medicine Service.

24

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

 The electronic healthcare system will provide 

healthcare staff with instant access to accurate patient 
information and effective tools to communicate, or refer 
patients, across multiple healthcare settings, and enhance 
support for care in the community. 

Dr Valerie Flores

GP, Gibraltar 

improvements in our Secondary Care 
business will deliver improved financial 
performance as the year progresses. 
Our outlook is encouraging, with strong 
revenue visibility, growing market shares, 
and good momentum in our order books 
and pipelines. 

The NHS in England remains supportive of 
EMIS Group’s strategy of delivering digital 
technology allied to cultural change that 
will help create faster and better care. 
The 2016 Mandate to NHS England states: 

 “This Government will increase spending 
in real terms every year in this Parliament. 
The NHS will receive £10 billion more per 
year in real terms by 2020-2021 than in 
2014-15. This investment backs in full the 
Five Year Forward View and will mean 
patients receive a truly seven-day health 
service, with the services people need 
being offered in hospitals at the weekend 
and people able to access a GP at 
evenings and weekends…NHS England 
should support the NHS to make better 
use of digital services and technology to 
transform patients’ access to and use of 
health and care, including online access 
to their personal health records.”

Chris Spencer
Chief Executive Officer
15 March 2016

Sheila Gregory, project implementation 
officer at Wolverhampton CCG, said: 
“We are excited to be offering pharmacists 
Pharmacy Access, which shows what 
is possible with joined up healthcare. 
We look forward to measuring the clinical 
and administrative benefits over the 
next few months as the project gets up 
and running.”

Gateway (MIG), from Healthcare Gateway 
Limited, the Group’s joint venture with In 
Practice Systems, is one element of the 
existing interoperability portfolio which 
alone is used by over 70 health economies 
and demonstrates our longstanding 
commitment to working collaboratively 
with both traditional partners and 
competitors alike.

Connecting Healthcare Products

Centralising Group Services

During the year, the Group extended the 
available connectivity between its own 
and third party provider solutions and 
continued to develop the EMIS Health 
Framework. This is a modular environment 
that will gradually be used to rebuild all 
the Group’s products. For example, 
EHSC’s upgraded ePharmacy product 
has been developed in the EMIS 
Health Framework.

Third party initiatives included agreeing 
direct interoperability with GP and CCMH 
market competitor TPP in March 2015, 
signature of the Tech UK Interoperability 
Charter in September 2015 and, on 
2 February 2016, becoming the first UK 
clinical systems provider to implement 
new open standards for interoperability 
in the NHS (OpenAPI). This enables 
clinicians using EMIS Health systems to 
securely share data with any other third 
party system across health and social 
care. Work has already begun in this 
respect with both System C/LiquidLogic 
and Servelec/CoreLogic.

Through its OpenAPI strategy the Group 
is committed to working with any supplier 
willing to follow national interoperability 
standards and best practice in information 
governance and security. That strategy 
will continue to make EMIS Health systems 
the most interoperable of their kind in 
healthcare. The Medical Interoperability 

From 2016 onwards all EMIS Health software 
development will be centralised within 
EMIS Group. This is expected to lead to 
economies of scale without the need for 
wholesale relocation or off-shoring of 
staff. For example, Group pharmacy 
databases have already been reduced 
from twelve sources to five. There will 
also be a common prioritisation process 
via a Group portfolio board. This will 
increase the visibility of activity and its 
allocation to specific revenue opportunities. 
A new EMIS India development office was 
opened in Chennai on 9 February 2016 with 
an initial cohort of nearly 50 development 
and testing staff.

The management team is also vigorously 
pursuing further opportunities for driving 
internal efficiencies, from Property and 
Legal services through to Marketing and 
Human Resources. Particularly noteworthy 
is the Group’s investment in a common 
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform, 
which is now being rolled out progressively 
across the Group to replace a number of 
legacy systems.

Summary and Outlook

EMIS Group has again reported good 
underlying profit growth in line with the 
Board’s expectations, derived from a mix 
of organic and acquisitive growth. We are 
focussed on ensuring that the operational 

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

25

Strategic report

Financial review
Strong balance of growth in revenue and 
profit, both organically and from acquisitions.

In the year ended 31 December 2015 the Group delivered a 
strong balance of growth in revenue and profit, both organically 
and from acquisitions. 

Adjusted operating profit for the year, as set out in the table on 
page 27, was £36.6m (2014: £32.6m) with statutory operating profit, 
reduced by non-cash exceptional impairment charges, at £11.4m 
(2014: £29.1m). A reconciliation between the operating profit 
measures is given in the Group Statement of comprehensive income.

Revenue

Group revenue increased by 13% to £155.9m (2014: £137.6m), 
including revenue from acquisitions completed during the year 
of £0.7m, and revenue from the 2014 acquisitions in Secondary 
& Specialist Care of £13.0m (2014: £1.6m).

The 5% organic growth in the year included increases from all 
segments. The Primary & Community Care business delivered 
4% organic growth, driven by the completion of the EMIS Web 
roll-out in England and Wales, and good progress in market 
share in CCMH.

Performance in the Community Pharmacy business was again 
robust, with continued gains in the estate and further cross-selling 
of additional services delivered alongside significant investment 
in software development.

Total revenue

£155.9m 

Adjusted operating profit1

+13%

£36.6m 

+12%

Adjusted EPS1

45.3p 

45.3

39.5

+15%

155.9

137.6

36.6

32.6

105.5

86.3

73.2

26.1

22.8

20.8

34.0

30.8

27.7

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

26

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

1 

 Excludes impairment charges, release of contingent acquisition consideration, 
capitalisation and amortisation of development costs and amortisation of acquired 
intangibles. Earnings per share calculations also adjust for the related tax and 
non-controlling interest impact.

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Revenue

  Primary & community care 60%

  Secondary & specialist care 27%

  Community pharmacy 13%

The drivers of revenue change within 
the Group included the following:

• 

licences, driven significantly higher 
to £50.3m (2014: £43.8m), principally 
as a result of growth in Primary 
& Community Care, particularly in 
CCMH, the partner programme and 
Defence contracts;

•  maintenance & software support, which 
increased to £37.9m (2014: £33.4m) due 
to some growth in Secondary Care and 
to a full period of higher allocation to 
this revenue stream under the revised 
GPSoC contract;

•  other support services, where new 
revenues from the Medical Imaging 
acquisition resulted in total revenues 
of £30.6m (2014: £21.6m);

•  training, consultancy and implementation, 
which reduced to £16.1m (2014: £16.9m), 
with the expected lower levels of 
EMIS Web roll-out related revenue 
in Primary Care being partly offset by 
higher revenues in Secondary Care;

•  hosting, which was lower at £13.1m 
(2014: £14.0m), as a result of a 
reduction in funded hosted asset 
revenues and due to the lower 
allocation to this revenue stream 
under the revised GPSoC contract; and

•  hardware revenues, which were 

unchanged at £7.9m (2014: £7.9m).

The Secondary & Specialist Care segment 
includes full year contributions from the 
Medical Imaging business, acquired in late 
2014, and Indigo 4, acquired in July 2014. 
While revenues grew in Secondary Care, 
the performance overall was disappointing, 
with a number of expected contracts not 
concluding in the year. 2016 has started 
more positively with several key contract 
wins already secured, while the cost base 
for the business is being addressed, as 
described in the operational review, so 
positioning it for stronger growth ahead.

Revenue mix

Group recurring revenue, principally 
licences, maintenance & software support, 
hosting and other support services, was 
£123.0m (2014: £102.7m), 79% of total 
revenue. The high level of recurring 
revenue and strong order book at the 
start of 2016 provide a strong platform 
for the business to continue to invest with 
confidence in developing future products 
and services, as well as visibility of future 
financial expectations. 

Selected financial extracts (rounded)

Revenue

Adjusted segmental operating profit

Group expenses

Adjusted operating profit1

Adjusted operating margin

2015

2014

Primary &
Community
Care
£m

Community
Pharmacy
£m

Secondary
& Specialist
Care
£m

93.9

29.6

20.0

4.3

42.0

4.2

Primary &
Community
Care
£m

Community
Pharmacy
£m

Secondary
& Specialist
Care
£m

89.7

26.4

18.4

3.9

29.5

3.4

Total
£m

155.9

38.1

(1.5)

36.6

Total
£m

137.6

33.7

(1.1)

32.6

31.5%

21.2%

10.0%

23.4%

29.5%

21.0%

11.6%

23.7%

Development costs capitalised 

Amortisation of development costs

Amortisation of acquired intangible assets

3.1

(5.4)

(0.9)

1.0

—

(0.6)

2.1

(0.9)

(5.0)

6.2

(6.3)

(6.5)

4.0

(4.3)

(1.1)

0.8

—

(0.7)

1.8

(0.4)

(4.4)

6.6

(4.7)

(6.2)

1 

 Excludes impairment charges, release of contingent acquisition consideration, capitalisation and amortisation of development costs and amortisation of acquired intangibles.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

27

Strategic report

Financial review continued

Profitability

Adjusted operating profit increased by 
12% to £36.6m (2014: £32.6m), including 
£0.3m from acquisitions completed in the 
year and £1.7m from the 2014 acquisitions in 
Secondary & Specialist Care (2014: £0.4m). 
The 7% organic profit growth in the year 
was delivered by double digit growth in the 
Primary & Community Care and Community 
Pharmacy businesses, partly offset by the 
lower than expected results in Secondary Care. 

The organic operating margin 
nonetheless increased to 24.4% 
(2014: 23.7%) with a strong focus on 
cost control in staff costs delivering this 
improvement in the context of a lower 
pace of revenue growth than in recent 
years. The overall Group adjusted 
operating margin reduced slightly from 
23.7% to 23.4% with the mix impact of 
the lower margin acquired businesses 
in Secondary & Specialist Care.

Group staff costs increased with staff 
numbers at the year-end increasing to 
1,897 (2014: 1,841), including 13 from 
businesses acquired in the year. The 
average headcount increased to 1,863 
(2014: 1,611). These numbers include eight 
in the Indian development team who 
joined at the end of the year. This team 
was managed on a subcontracted basis 
during 2015, but in 2016 has joined the 

Group with headcount expected to double 
from the current 50 over the coming year.

The Group has recognised two exceptional 
non-cash impairment charges in 2015 
totalling £18.5m. The first (totalling £16.2m) 
relates to the carrying value of goodwill 
arising on the Ascribe (Secondary Care) 
acquisition, and reflects the fact that the 
business has not yet delivered the financial 
returns expected when the business joined 
the Group in 2013. The second charge 
(of £2.3m) is in respect of the Group’s 
minority investment in Pharmacy2U, 
held since 2005. This business has had 
a troubled year, including a number of 
fundraising rounds in which the Group has 
chosen not to participate. The Group’s 
interest has reduced accordingly and 
is now below 15%. In the circumstances, 
the Directors believe that it is appropriate 
to impair fully the Group’s investment 
in the business.

After accounting for the exceptional 
impairment charges, the capitalisation and 
amortisation of development costs, the 
amortisation of acquired intangibles and 
for a £0.9m exceptional credit on acquisition 
consideration in the prior year, statutory 
operating profit was £11.4m (2014: £29.1m).

Taxation

The tax charge for the year of £5.6m 
(2014: £5.7m) is after taking into account 

a reduction in the provision for deferred 
tax of £0.4m, arising from the lowering 
of the future tax rate to 19% in 2017 and 
18% in 2020. Excluding the impact of this 
deferred tax credit the effective tax rate 
for the year is 20.2% (2014: 21.5%) on 
profit before tax and the (non-deductible/
taxable) impairment charges and prior 
year acquisition consideration release. 

Earnings per share (EPS)

Adjusted basic and diluted EPS increased 
by 15% to 45.3p and 45.1p respectively 
(2014: 39.5p and 39.4p). The statutory 
basic and diluted EPS were 7.2p for both 
measures (2014: 35.3p and 35.2p).

Dividend

Subject to shareholder approval at the 
Annual General Meeting on 26 April 2016, 
the Board proposes an increase in the 
final dividend to 10.6p (2014: 9.2p) per 
ordinary share, payable on 29 April 2016 
to shareholders on the register at the 
close of business on 1 April 2016. This 
would make a total dividend of 21.2p 
(2014: 18.4p) per ordinary share for 2015. 
This is 15% higher than in the prior year, 
reflecting the Board’s commitment to 
increasing dividends in line with growth 
in adjusted EPS and its confidence 
in the Group’s prospects.

Recurring revenue

£123.0m 

Total dividend for the year

Cash generated from operations1

+20%

21.2p 

+15%

£36.5m 

-5%

123.0

102.7

81.4

69.4

61.1

21.2

18.4

16.0

14.2

12.4

36.5

38.3

32.6

27.4

27.1

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

15

14

13

12

11

1 

 Stated after deduction of capitalised 
development costs.

28

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Cash flow and net debt

The principal movements in net debt were as follows:

Cash from operations:
Cash generated from operations
Less: internal development costs capitalised

Net cash generated from operations
Business combinations
Net capital expenditure
Transactions in own shares
Tax
Dividends
Other 

Change in net debt in the year

Net debt at end of year

2015
£m

2014
£m

42.7
(6.2)

36.5
(5.2)
(7.2)
0.6
(6.9)
(12.4)
(2.7)

44.8
(6.5)

38.3
(10.3)
(8.3)
(1.5)
(5.2)
(10.8)
(0.5)

(33.8)

(36.6)

2.7

(9.1)

1.7

(11.8)

Net cash generated from operations was 
£36.5m (2014: £38.3m), with the slight 
reduction reflecting working capital outflows 
due to the timing of payments and the 
unwinding of deferred income balances 
in respect of NHS funded hosting assets. 
The Group typically has a seasonal cash 
flow profile, with stronger inflows in the 
first half reflecting the timing of annual 
licence renewals. 

The Group completed the acquisition 
of Pinbellcom in the year for net cash 
consideration of £3.0m and also paid 
£2.25m of contingent consideration in 
respect of the 2013 Ascribe acquisition. 
In respect of the 2014 Medical Imaging 
acquisition, further amounts of up to 
£3.0m may become payable in 2016 
and are fully provided for.

Net capital expenditure excluding capitalised 
development costs reduced to £7.2m 
(2014: £8.3m), including £2.9m on computer 
equipment (£0.5m of which related to 
hosting contract assets) and £3.1m for 
various property improvements. The 
most significant of these investments was 

£1.6m for the fit out of new Secondary 
Care premises, bringing together two 
former offices in Bolton to encourage 
greater efficiency and cohesion in 
the business.

The Group’s Employee Benefit Trust 
received £0.6m (2014: £0.5m) for shares 
transferred in connection with the Group’s 
share schemes but didn’t acquire any 
additional shares during the year (2014: 
£2.0m). After tax, dividends and other 
payments, including a £2.1m dividend 
paid to the minority shareholder in the 
Group’s Community Pharmacy business, 
the total net cash inflow of £2.7m resulted 
in a year-end net debt position of £9.1m 
(2014: £11.8m), comprised of cash of £4.7m 
and bank overdraft and debt of £13.8m. 
At 31 December 2015, the Group had 
available bank facilities of £22.0m 
committed until June 2017.

Peter Southby
Chief Financial Officer
15 March 2016

Revenue analysis

(cid:604)(cid:4611)

  Licences 33%

  Maintenance & support 24%

  Hosting 8%

  Hardware 5%

   Training/consultancy/
implementation 10%

  Other support services 20%

(cid:576)(cid:3092)

  Recurring 79%

  Non-recurring 21%

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

29

(cid:1469)
(cid:3488)
(cid:2981)
(cid:814)
(cid:470)
(cid:470)
Strategic report

Sustainability
EMIS Group continues to be committed to high ethical 
standards and contributes to economic development 
while improving the quality of life for our people and that 
of the communities in which we work and live.

Our Corporate Social Responsibility policy covers the key areas of:

Employees

Environmental Management

Community

Health and Safety

Ethical Business Practices

Employees

People strategy

2015 saw the planning, preparation 
and introduction of a people strategy. 
This strategy aims to foster passion 
and engagement by supporting and 
developing our people to achieve, 
learn and grow at EMIS Group. It outlines 
our commitments to employees over the 
next three years as: offering a fair and 
competitive deal; bringing in the best 
talent; creating a learning organisation; 
doing the basics brilliantly; providing 
compelling communications; caring 
for our people; and contributing to 
our communities.

identifying key areas for review such 
as pay and benefits, recruitment, and 
internal communication. Across the 
Group, action plans have been created 
for each business and department, focus 
groups and champion networks have 
worked together to discuss how they 
can drive employee engagement and 
work together to promote a positive 
and empowered working environment. 

Some of the initiatives that have 
been introduced following the survey 
include a Group-wide company intranet, 
a bi-monthly employee magazine, 
a comprehensive review of pay and 
benefits and advertisement of all job 
vacancies across the whole Group. 

Your Say

Training

A survey was carried out across the whole 
Group for all employees to have their say 
about what it feels like to work for EMIS 
Group – Your Say. The survey results then 
helped to shape the people strategy, 

Following our employees’ feedback 
in the Your Say survey, inductions have 
been reviewed and improved. We aim 
to equip new employees with knowledge 
about the industry in which we operate 

and how integrated care could transform 
the NHS. This contextual knowledge training 
has been further shared across the business 
to help our people understand more about 
external market changes and how they 
could impact us – over 500 people have 
taken part in this training to date. 

A number of employees have successfully 
taken part in NVQ qualifications across 
the Group and this will continue throughout 
2016. Our apprenticeship scheme continued 
successfully with several graduates from the 
scheme being employed on a permanent 
basis. We continue to support local 
communities by offering work experience 
placements across a variety of departments.

Bespoke departmental training 
has taken place that addresses the 
specific needs of our employees and 
teams, in addition to more generic 
training with external providers around 
customer service. Basic line manager 
training has been rolled out to all 
managers in our secondary 
care business. 

30

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

“ Attracting and retaining highly skilled people who are passionate 
about our patients and our customers; people who feel fulfilled, 
valued and supported in their work; creating a high performing 
learning environment which brings out the best in people.”

Nicola Cliffe
Group Human Resources Director

Employee benefits

Directors

We offer a range of benefits to employees 
which includes discounted gym membership, 
a cycle to work scheme, discounted 
shopping vouchers, the buying and selling 
of holidays, private healthcare and the 
ability to buy IT equipment at reduced 
rates. We are committed to offering 
employees flexible working hours in a 
comfortable working environment, and 
have relocated 180 employees based in our 
EMIS Health Secondary Care offices to a 
newly furbished office in 2015 and invested 
further in our properties in Leeds, Sheffield 
and Watford. Employees were involved 
in the design of the working space 
and rest facilities.

Share incentive scheme

The Share Incentive Plan (SIP) continues 
to be offered to all employees with over 
twelve months’ service. In total 1,053 
employees from across the Group are 
shareholders in the SIP, an increase 
of 27% on last year. 

  Male 100%

  Female 0%

  Male 83%

  Female 17%

  Male 63%

  Female 37%

Senior Management1

(cid:559)(cid:470)
Employees(cid:534)(cid:935)
(cid:592)(cid:3755)

1  Senior population as defined by EMIS Group.

A programme of mandatory training 
for all our new colleagues at EMIS Care 
(formerly Medical Imaging) has taken 
place, as well as 15 different bespoke 
external training courses that addressed 
specific development needs. 

Pension schemes

In total, 88% of all employees are now 
members of a company pension scheme. 
In all areas, except EMIS Health specialist 
care, new employees are auto-enrolled 
into their relevant scheme and the 
contribution rates we offer are higher 
than the minimum requirements. EMIS 
Health specialist care is set to start 
auto-enrolment in August 2016, but already 
have 88% of their team in their scheme. 

Employees have the opportunity to 
increase their contributions from date 
of entry and the Group will automatically 
increase the Company’s minimum 
contribution rates each year to ensure 
all legislative requirements are met.

New employees who joined us as a result 
of the acquisition of PinBellCom have 
also been successfully integrated into 
the Group’s main pension scheme.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

31

(cid:470)
(cid:470)
Strategic report

Sustainability continued

Community

We continue to support both local 
communities around our offices and a 
range of smaller and national charities. 

•  £1,500 in Group funding donations went 
towards individual charitable activities 
– they ranged from marathons and bike 
races to sponsored head shaves (with 
the donated hair going towards 
making wigs for cancer patients). 

•  National charity days took place across 
the Group, supporting big initiatives 
such as Comic Relief, Jeans for Genes, 
MacMillan Cancer Support and Text 
Santa. Nearly £4,000 was raised 
across the Group for Children in Need, 
with community pharmacy raising 
funds by auctioning off their senior 
management team, secondary care 
holding a fancy dress day and pool 
competition, Egton and primary care, 
community & commissioning holding 
bake sales and dress down events. 

•  Tough Mudders from Egton worked as 
a team to complete the gruelling 20km 
obstacle course, raising nearly £1,300 
for Cancer Research.

•  Team EMIS Moon Units took part in 

the Scotland Moon Walk, completing 
their overnight challenge in 7 hours 
43 minutes and raising over £1,000 
for WalktheWalk.

•  Three employees from our community 
pharmacy division scaled the London 
‘3 Peaks Challenge’, raising over 
£1,000 for Cancer Research.

•  The Great Christmas Beard Off in 

secondary care raised money for the 
local Bolton NHS Charitable Fund – 
Children’s and Mental Health 
Service (CAMHS). 

•  Employees from across the Group took 
part in Give and Gain Day, volunteering 
at a local primary school, a care home 
and in a woodland management project.

32

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Total accidents

Driver accidents

66

66

54

53

49

48

2015

2014

2013

2015

2014

2013

Environmental Management

Accreditations

We continue to recognise the importance 
of protecting the environment and mitigating 
the impact of our activities.

EMIS Group has established an 
Environmental Management System that 
provides a framework for managing and 
reducing the Group’s environmental 
impacts and establishes programmes to 
help achieve our environmental objectives 
as part of our continual improvement 
process. We are proud to have achieved 
certification of this management system 
to ISO14001:2004 in February 2015. 

A three year plan was put in place 
with regular six monthly surveillance visits 
planned across the EMIS Group to ensure 
compliance and continual improvement is 
made against the set objectives and targets.

Three key areas to target have 
been identified. These are:

•  utility usage;

•  waste; and

•  travel.

Baseline data across the Group 
was recorded in 2015 and targets have 
been set to reduce usage during 2016.

EMIS Group is now compliant with the 
Article 8 (4-6) of the EU Energy Efficiency 
Directive (2012/2/EU).

Waste

The Group disposed of 48 tonnes of IT 
waste which was all recycled in line with our 
ISO 14001 accreditation and environmental 
management system. Targets have been 
set for the reduction of waste in 2016.

CO2 Emissions
2015 saw the introduction of a new vehicle 
fleet management system. The vehicles 
available to staff have a CO2 emissions 
average of 107g/km and as a result this has 
lowered our fleet average from 117g/km 
in 2014 to 111g/km in 2015.

We continue to offer the cycle to work 
scheme and video conferencing facilities 
have now been installed across the Group. 
The Group has set targets to further 
reduce business travel in 2016.

Health and Safety

Reporting

The EMIS Group plc Board receives reports 
twice a year on Environmental and Health 
and Safety compliance across the Group. 

The function is now a centralised Group 
Services department with individuals 
responsible for day to day activities in 
each business. During the year an audit 
of all policies and procedures was 
undertaken and a managed roll out of 
Group policies will begin in 2016 through 
a new online system which records 
compliance by individuals to ensure a 
consistent Environmental and Health 
and Safety approach across the Group.

Training

All new starters receive Health and Safety 
Induction training and existing staff have 
all received refresher training. A total of 
2,219 training modules were completed 
during the year. Further modules will 
be released throughout 2016 through 
the new on-line system which has 
been introduced.

Accidents/Incidents

Information from any reported accidents 
is collated from across the Group. There 
was a reduction in accidents/incidents 
in 2015 by 18%.

There were four RIDDOR accidents 
reported across the Group in 2015 
compared to two in 2014. A review of 
the risk assessment process and a full 
review of the type of incidents that 
occurred has been carried out.

We continue to identify drivers to undertake 
advanced classroom based and in car driver 
training and to work with our insurers to 
improve the standard of driving and reduce 
the number of minor accidents.

Ethical Business Practices

Our 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 that the welfare of workers and 
employment conditions within the supply 
chain meet recognised standards.

We have a statement of ethics and a 
whistleblowing policy in place which 
is reviewed annually by the audit 
committee. All employees are made 
aware of the Bribery Act and refresher 
training is undertaken regularly.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

33

Governance

Board of Directors
Comprehensive experience and well balanced.

 Name

Mike O’Leary 

 A

 R

 N

Chris Spencer

Peter Southby

Current position

Non-executive Chairman

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Appointed

March 2011

July 2013

October 2012

Board committees

Audit; Nomination (Chairman); 
Remuneration

External appointments 
and memberships

Non-executive director, 
Epwin Group plc

None

None

Institute of Chartered Accountants 
in England & Wales (Fellow)

None

None

Law Society of England & Wales

Society for Computers & Law

Chartered Management 
Institute (Fellow)

Chartered Institute of Patent 
Agents (Associate)

Experience

Previous relevant 
appointments

Mike has over 20 years’ experience 
at main board level in a public 
company environment, both FTSE 
100 and FTSE 250. 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 
has managed a healthcare division in 
the US which supplied software and 
services to over 70,000 primary care 
physicians. He also has experience of 
selling PAS and pathology 
departmental systems.

Chris has 35 years of experience of 
general management and leadership, 
software (specification, design, 
development, project management, 
implementation, marketing and sales) 
within the healthcare, legal and 
educational sectors both as a founder 
of his own companies and a senior 
manager in established companies.

His roles at EMIS Group since 
joining in 1999 include Commercial 
Development Director, Group Legal 
Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer 
and interim CEO.

Peter has 20 years of experience in 
finance, mainly in a public company 
environment, including 10 years at 
board level. He has led numerous 
corporate transactions including 
fundraising and acquisitions. His 
experience has given him an in-depth 
knowledge of strategy across multiple 
industry sectors with a particular 
focus on support services. Peter 
also has lead responsibility for all 
Group support functions.

Chairman of Digital Healthcare Ltd

Chief executive of Marlborough 
Stirling plc 

Chief executive of Huon Corporation

Executive director of Misys plc

Non-executive director 
of Headlam Group plc

Non-executive director 
of Ensco Limited

General manager and head of IT 
at Markgraaf Patents Ltd

Founder shareholder and director 
of software house Solicitec Ltd 

Managing partner at Emsley 
Collins (solicitors)

Financial director at ENER-G plc

Finance director at Augean plc

Senior financial positions 
at White Young Green plc 
and Leeds United plc

Senior audit manager 
at Arthur Andersen

34

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Committee membership

 A

 R

 N

Audit committee

Remuneration committee

Nomination committee

Chairman of committee

Robin Taylor 

 A

 R

 N

Andy McKeon 

 A

 R

 N

Kevin Boyd 

 A

 R

 N

Senior Independent  
Non-executive Director

Non-executive Director

Non-executive Director

March 2010

February 2013

May 2014

Audit (Chairman); Nomination; 
Remuneration

Audit; Nomination; Remuneration 
(Chairman)

Audit; Nomination; Remuneration

Non-executive director of Fusionex 
International plc

Senior policy fellow at the 
Nuffield Trust

Group finance director of 
Oxford Instruments plc*

Non-executive director of FDM 
Group plc

Vice-chair at the National Institute for 
Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

London Stock Exchange Primary 
Markets Group

Institute of Chartered Accountants 
of Scotland

Institute of Chartered Accountants 
in England and Wales (Fellow)

Institution of Engineering 
and Technology (Fellow)

Robin brings many years’ experience 
as a plc director. From his previous 
appointments, he gained experience 
on financial reporting, financing, 
transactions and risk management. 
The Board believes Robin’s skills, 
experience and knowledge provide 
strong support to his role as a 
well-qualified Senior Non-executive 
Director and chairman of the 
audit committee.

Andy’s extensive knowledge of 
the NHS and experience in shaping 
health policy add invaluable 
expertise to the Board discussions. 
He is an advocate for change which 
benefits patients. The Board believes 
Andy brings an independent view 
and is well suited to the Chairmanship 
of the remuneration committee.

As a current FTSE 250 group 
finance director, Kevin brings 
real time financial expertise and 
software systems knowledge to 
the Board. Together with Kevin’s 
experience of running complex 
businesses and corporate transactions, 
the Board considers his financial and 
investor relations experience to be 
of particular value to the Board.

Chief financial officer of Intec 
Telecom Systems plc

Chief financial officer of ITNET plc

Chief financial officer of JBA 
Holdings plc

Non-executive director 
of Phoenix IT Group plc

Variety of financial and general 
management roles in Europe 
and North America

Interim chief executive, Nuffield Trust

Departmental board member 
at the Department of Health 
(Director General responsible 
for Policy & Planning)

Head of primary care, Department 
of Health

Deputy chief executive, Barts 
and the London NHS Trust

Managing director, Health, 
Audit Commission

Group finance director at Radstone 
Technology plc

Finance director at Siroyan Ltd

Senior financial positions at TI Group 
(now Smiths Group plc)

*  Kevin Boyd will be leaving 

Oxford Instruments plc and will take 
up a new role as group finance director 
at Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc on 
10 May 2016.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

35

 
 
 
 
Governance

Corporate governance

Chairman’s introduction to 
corporate governance

Dear Shareholder

On behalf of the Board I am pleased to 
present the EMIS Group plc corporate 
governance report for the year ended 
31 December 2015. The Company is 
committed to high standards of corporate 
governance and the Board acknowledges 
the importance of the principles set out in 
the 2014 UK Corporate Governance Code 
published by the Financial Reporting 
Council (“the Code”). 

The report below outlines how the Company 
has applied the principles of the Code. 
The Board understands the importance of 
ensuring that there is a strong governance 
framework in place which underpins the 
Company’s ability to achieve its strategic 
goals. Although compliance with the Code 
is not mandatory for companies admitted 
to the Alternative Investments Market 
(AIM), the Company continues to establish 
a framework of policies and procedures 
designed to comply with the Code as far 
as is reasonably practicable and appropriate 
for a company of its size and complexity. 

Leadership and effectiveness

All Directors are subject to election 
or re-election by shareholders at each 
annual general meeting. The nomination 
committee considers that individuals subject 
to election or re-election are, or continue 
to be, effective and demonstrate appropriate 
commitment to their roles. 

Each year following an internal 
assessment of the performance of 
the Board and its individual Directors, 
undertaken by the Chairman, the Board 
considers the current balance of skills, 
experience, independence and knowledge 
and assesses whether it is appropriate for the 
business. It was evident from the findings 
of the review this year that the Board 
considers that it operates in an open and 
constructive manner and works effectively. 

The Board has extensive operational 
experience and Chris Spencer, Mike O’Leary 
and Andy McKeon in particular have 
many years of detailed knowledge of the 
healthcare sector. 

All members of the Board agreed that 
appropriate processes were in place 
for setting the strategic direction of 
the Group, monitoring its performance 
against plan and ensuring that risks and 
governance were properly addressed. 
The committees of the Board were 
considered to be effective and all 
members were deemed to have made 
valuable contributions. Further details 
of the evaluation are provided in the 
corporate governance report below.

When considering Board membership, 
factors including the balance of skills, 
experience, independence, knowledge 
of the Group and diversity, including 
gender, are taken into account. 

Relations with shareholders

Communication between the Company 
and its shareholders is an essential element 
of a sound governance framework.

The CEO has personal objectives in 
place around the degree and nature of 
engagement with investors. He presented 
at several investor conferences during the 
course of the year.

An extensive programme of meetings with 
analysts and institutional shareholders 
followed the interim and preliminary 
financial results announcements with 
almost 100 meetings with 65 separate 
investors held in 2015. For the first time 
during the year, the investor programme 
was extended to include US institutions. 
There is regular dialogue with individual 
institutional shareholders throughout 
the year to discuss strategy, performance 
and governance and to obtain feedback. 
These meetings are usually attended by the 
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial 
Officer. A programme of engagement with 
retail investors was also initiated.

Feedback from these meetings, and regular 
market updates prepared by the Company’s 
broker, are presented to the Board to ensure 
the Directors have a good understanding of 
shareholders’ views. The Chairman and the 
Senior Non-executive Director are also 
available separately to shareholders to 
discuss strategy and governance issues and 
any views arising from this route are also 
communicated to the Board as a whole.

During the year an improved EMIS Group 
website was launched and, in accordance 
with AIM Rule 26, there is a dedicated 
investors’ section, which can be found 
at www.emisgroupplc.com/investors. 
All public announcements are posted 
on the website and there is a wide range 
of information on the Group’s activities. 

The AGM will be held at Rawdon House, 
Green Lane, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7BY 
on 26 April 2016 at 10am and I would like 
to take this opportunity to encourage 
shareholders to attend. As ever, it will 
provide investors with an opportunity 
to meet the Board and ask any questions 
that they may have in respect of the 
Group’s reported activities.

The pages that follow explain how we 
applied specific aspects of the Group’s 
compliance arrangements and how the 
main principles of the Code were applied.

Mike O’Leary
Chairman
15 March 2016

36

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Corporate governance framework

Board composition

At the start of the year the Board of EMIS 
Group plc (“the Board”) consisted of 
Mike O’Leary, Non-executive Chairman; 
Chris Spencer, Chief Executive Officer; 
Peter Southby, Chief Financial Officer; 
Robin Taylor, Senior Non-executive Director; 
Sean Riddell, Non-executive Director, 
Andy McKeon, Non-executive Director 
and Kevin Boyd, Non-executive Director.

Sean Riddell resigned as a Non-executive 
Director on 30 January 2015.

Andy McKeon resigned on 2 April 2015, 
but, following an agreed leave of 
absence was reappointed to the Board 
as a Non-executive Director on 
30 September 2015.

Kevin Boyd, Andy McKeon, Mike O’Leary 
and Robin Taylor were considered by 
the Board to be independent on 
their appointment.

Appointments of Non-executive Directors 
are for specific terms and subject to 
statutory provisions relating to the 
removal of a Director.

Biographies of individual Directors are 
provided on pages 34 and 35. Their respective 
Board and committee responsibilities are 
outlined below and in the individual reports 
of the various committees. 

control systems are implemented and 
maintained. These responsibilities are 
largely exercised through the audit 
committee, which reports separately 
on pages 43 to 45.

The Board is satisfied that the size of the 
Board and its committees and the balance 
of Executive and Non-executive members 
is such that no individual or small group of 
individuals can unduly influence its decisions.

The Executive Directors do not hold any 
Non-executive or Chairman positions in 
any other companies.

Roles and responsibilities

The Board

The Board has a schedule of matters 
reserved to it including, but not limited to:

•  strategy and long-term objectives;

•  financial statements, dividend 

payments and accounting policies 
and practices;

•  approval of the Group budget;

•  measuring performance of KPIs, 
both financial and non-financial;

•  capital structure; 

The Board’s principal role is to provide 
effective leadership of the Group. It is 
responsible to shareholders for delivering 
shareholder value by developing the 
overall strategy and supporting the 
development of the direction of the 
Group. The Board is also responsible for 
overseeing the Group’s external financial 
and other reporting and for ensuring that 
appropriate risk management and internal 

• 

internal controls and risk management;

•  acquisitions and disposals;

•  major capital expenditure; 

• 

legal (including major contracts), health 
and safety and insurance issues; and 

•  Board structure and the appointment 

of advisers.

Board composition

(cid:537)(cid:1128)

  Chairman – Non-executive 1

  Executive 2

  Non-executive 3

  Company Secretary 1

 Audit 
committee

The committee is 
responsible for overseeing 
the external financial 
reporting obligations and 
associated announcements, 
considering risk 
management, internal 
controls procedures and the 
work of the external auditor. 
The committee met four 
times during the year 
and comprises all 
Non-executive Directors. 

Robin Taylor
Chairman

Mike O’Leary

Andy McKeon

Kevin Boyd

Board of Directors

Remuneration 
committee

The committee met four 
times during the year and 
comprises all Non-executive 
Directors. The committee is 
responsible for establishing 
a formal and transparent 
procedure for developing 
policy on Executive 
remuneration and for 
setting the remuneration 
of individual Directors.

 Nomination 
committee

The committee 
is responsible for leading 
the Board appointments 
process and for 
considering the size, 
structure and composition 
of the Board and has met 
three times in the year. Full 
details of the work of the 
committee are set out in 
the nomination committee 
report on page 46.

Andy McKeon
Chairman

Mike O’Leary

Robin Taylor

Kevin Boyd

Mike O’Leary
Chairman

Andy McKeon

Robin Taylor

Kevin Boyd

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

37

(cid:2360)
(cid:918)
(cid:470)
Governance

Corporate governance continued

Roles and responsibilities continued

The Board continued

The business model on pages 8 and 9 
explains the basis on which the Group 
generates and preserves value over the 
longer term, and the strategy of the 
Group and achievements in 2015 are 
outlined on pages 12 to 15. 

The Board undertakes a formal strategic 
review once a year. This two-day meeting 
reviews progress and seeks to develop 
the future strategic direction of the Group. 
It is attended by all Board members (on 
the first day) and the members of the 
Group Executive Board which includes 
Divisional Managing Directors, the Group 
Human Resources Director, the Chief 

Medical Officer and the Chief Technology 
Officer. The forum considers the economic 
environment in which the Group operates, 
reviews the current business model and 
market opportunities, reviews the principal 
risks facing the Company and sets the key 
strategic priorities for the next three years 
and strategy for the longer term to enhance 
competitive advantage and shareholder value.

The Chairman

The Chief Executive Officer

The Non-executive Directors 

The roles of Chairman and Chief 
Executive Officer 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. 

Mike O’Leary, as Chairman, is 
responsible for the leadership 
and effectiveness of the Board.

The Chairman:

•  chairs the Board, the nomination 

committee and the AGM; 

•  provides challenge to the 

Executive Directors and works 
closely with the Chief Executive 
Officer on key strategic decisions;

•  maintains a dialogue with major 
shareholders on governance and 
other strategic matters;

•  sets the Board agenda and 

ensures all Directors have the 
opportunity to maximise their 
contribution to the Board by 
encouraging open debate and 
constructive challenge; and 

The Chief Executive Officer, 
Chris Spencer, is responsible for 
the implementation of the approved 
strategic and financial objectives 
of the Group through the day-to-day 
leadership of the Group’s business, 
within defined authority limits. 
To assist in this, the Chief Executive 
Officer has created a Group Executive 
Board (GXB) which consists of the 
Divisional Managing Directors, the 
Chief Financial Officer, the Group 
Human Resources Director, the 
Chief Medical Officer and the 
Chief Technology Officer. The GXB 
meets once a month with a focus 
on cross Group integration and 
operational performance.

The Chief Executive Officer:

•  develops the Group strategy and 
leads the annual strategic forum;

•  with the Chief Financial Officer, 
maintains close contact with 
government, shareholders and 
major customers;

•  with the Chief Financial Officer, 
approves the divisional budgets;

The Non-executive Directors provide 
independent, constructive challenge 
and insight to the Executive team 
forming an integral part of the Board’s 
decision-making process together 
with the monitoring of management 
and business performance.

The Non-executive Directors play 
a key role in developing proposals 
on strategy, actively participating 
in the annual strategy forum.

They strengthen governance through 
participation in and chairmanship of the 
Board committees, providing a wide 
range of experience and independence. 
This aids the Board in developing 
a broader understanding and in 
evaluating the implications, risks 
and consequences of decisions. 

The Senior Non-executive Director 
acts as a sounding board for the 
other Directors and conducts the 
Chairman’s annual evaluation.

The Board is satisfied that the 
Chairman and all remaining  
Non-executive Directors were 
independent upon appointment.

•  undertakes the annual evaluation 

•  chairs the Group Executive Board 

of the Board and builds an 
effective Board.

On his appointment, Mike O’Leary 
met the Code requirements for 
independence. There have been no 
significant changes to his other 
commitments during the year which 
have an impact on his ability to 
perform his duties for the Group.

(GXB) and leads the senior 
management team;

•  monitors the performance 
of senior managers; and

•  monitors the Group’s principal risks.

38

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Committees of the Board 

The Board delegates certain responsibilities 
to three sub-committees; the audit 
committee, the remuneration committee 
and the nomination committee. These 
responsibilities are set out in formal terms 
of reference for each committee, which 
are available on the Group’s website, 
www.emisgroupplc.com/investors/
corporate-governance. 

The chairman of each committee reports 
to the Board in relation to the committee’s 
activities and recommendations. Members 
of the Board who are not members of 
individual committees may be invited to 
attend meetings of those committees at 
the discretion of the respective committee’s 
chairman; however, they are not permitted 
to vote in respect of committee business. 

The following pages contain a report 
of the audit committee (pages 43 to 45) 
and the Directors’ remuneration report 
(pages 49 to 60). The nomination committee’s 
responsibilities and matters considered 
during the year are outlined on page 46.

Standing Agenda Items

At each meeting comprehensive Board 
packs are provided and the following 
standing items are discussed:

•  Strategic review

•  Financial Results and KPIs

•  Sales Pipeline

•  Management accounts 

and commentary

•  Report from the CEO 

on operational matters

•  Report from the CFO 
on financial matters

•  Mergers and Acquisitions

•  Progress reports on major projects

•  Analysts’ forecasts

•  Board committee matters

• 

Investor relations engagement

•  Legal, company secretarial and 

regulatory matters

• 

Implementation of actions 
agreed at previous meetings

•  Mergers and acquisitions

Key Topics Considered by the Board 
in 2015

•  Financial results announcements, 
presentations and market updates

•  Group Human Resources strategy

•  The establishment of EMIS Health 

India Private Ltd.

•  The Group’s Viability Statement

• 

International operations and strategy

•  Risk profile including receiving 
a presentation on cyber risk

•  Product integration

•  Management information and KPIs

•  Two updates on the work of the 

software development team across 
the Group

•  Due diligence and key terms of the 
PinBellCom Group Limited acquisition

•  Two updates on environmental 

health and safety matters

•  Other acquisition opportunities

•  Rebranding proposals

•  The 2016 Group budget

•  AAH contract proposal

•  The Board evaluation report and 

•  Secondary Care, Community 

discussion of the recommendations

•  Review, debate and challenge of the 

corporate strategy and plan

Pharmacy and EMIS Care managing 
directors’ presentations

Board operation

The number of meetings of the Board 
and Board committees held during the 
year ended 31 December 2015 together 
with the Directors’ attendance records 
are summarised in the table on page 40.

Board and committee papers are 
circulated in advance of meetings to 
enable the Board to review and consider 
the materials provided. All Board members 
have access to the Company Secretary and, 
where appropriate and necessary for the 
discharge of their Board and committee 
responsibilities, independent external 
advice at the Company’s expense.

The Chairman ensures that input is sought 
and obtained from any Director who is unable 
to attend a Board meeting and he provides 
a verbal update following the meeting to 
complement the minutes.

There is on-going contact between 
the Chairman, Executive Directors 
and Non-executive Directors between 
Board meetings.

There is a topical calendar for the Board 
with Divisional Managing Directors and 
key Group functional directors regularly 
invited to attend to present an update on 
their areas of the business. This is critical 
in providing further detail to support 
strategic decisions. The location for Board 
meetings is rotated around the Group’s 
principal sites in order to provide 
opportunities to meet senior management 
and develop a better understanding of 
operations. In addition, the Board meets 
on an ad hoc basis as necessary to consider 
specific issues, such as acquisitions, which 
are supported by a detailed Board paper 
circulated in advance analysing all relevant 
aspects of the topic under discussion. 

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

39

Governance

Corporate governance continued

Board and committee effectiveness

The Chairman undertook an internal 
performance evaluation of individual 
Directors and the Board as a whole. 
The evaluation process considered the 
balance of skills, knowledge, independence 
and experience of the Board. 

Each Director was asked to complete 
a tailored questionnaire which covered 
all aspects of good governance. 

Individual Directors were required to 
assess their satisfaction with the operation 
of the Board and its committees and the 
effectiveness of these bodies in fulfilling 
the key responsibilities set out in their 
respective terms of reference. The responses 
were collated and discussed. 

Overall, responses indicated a high degree 
of satisfaction with the working methods of 
each Director, the Board and its committees. 
Board members agreed that the Board 
has sought to continuously improve the 
way it operates throughout the year. 

During the year, the Chairman met with 
the Non-executive Directors without the 
Executive Directors present. 

As Senior Independent Director, Robin 
Taylor discussed the performance of the 
Chairman with the other members of the 
Board. The consensus was that Mike O’Leary 
is engaged, knowledgeable and inclusive 
and encourages all members to discuss 
and debate on all matters of significance 
to the strategy and well being of 
the business.

The Board evaluation concluded that 
the Directors are open, constructive and 
able to express their views, and that the 
Board meets its regulatory requirements. 
The action plan for areas identified for 
improvement focuses on enhancing 
the quality of information to support 
Board decisions and broaden debate. 
Activity has commenced to review all 
the Board pack information and KPIs to 
improve further the timeliness, quality 

Number of meetings of the Board and Board committees during the year

Number of meetings in period

Attendance
Executive Directors
Chris Spencer
Peter Southby

Non-executive Directors
Mike O’Leary 
Robin Taylor
Kevin Boyd
Andrew McKeon

Board

12

12
12

12
12
12
4

Audit
committee

Nomination
committee

Remuneration
committee

4

—
—

4
4
4
1

3 

— 
— 

3
3
3
1

4 

— 
— 

4
4
4
1

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 Company Secretary supports the Board committees and 
assists in the evaluation of the Board. 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 and maintained a share dealing code for 
Directors and senior employees.

and consistency of data. To enable decisions 
to be made against a clearer strategic 
context, the structure of the off-site strategy 
review will be considered to ensure it 
facilitates robust challenge and sufficient 
time to review and shape strategic direction. 
Greater interaction with the wider 
management team will be encouraged 
to provide additional depth of information 
to support discussions. An additional 
review of the succession plan for the Board, 
including diversity, will be undertaken.

are encouraged to attend relevant training 
courses and events.

The process for the appointment of new 
Directors is rigorous and transparent, and 
further information is contained in the report 
of the nomination committee on page 46. 
New Directors receive a comprehensive 
pack of information and a tailored induction 
programme that includes meeting senior 
managers. This ensures that knowledge 
and understanding of the business and 
its technology are developed. 

Training and development 

On appointment to the Board, Directors 
receive a formal induction and thereafter 
receive further guidance and training as 
and when required. The senior management 
report to the Board on a regular basis and 
the Board conducts site visits to ensure 
that an understanding of the business and 
its technology is developed. All Directors 

Board committees

The Board has three formally established 
committees, with written terms of reference, 
which are reviewed annually by the Board. 
The terms of reference of the committees 
are available on the Company’s website. 
Committee membership is as shown 
in the table on page 37.

40

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

 
Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Board committees continued

Internal control

Audit committee

Robin Taylor was chairman of the audit 
committee for the period under review. 
The committee is responsible for overseeing 
the external financial reporting obligations 
and associated announcements, considering 
risk management, internal controls 
procedures and the work of the internal 
audit function and the external auditor. 
The committee met four times during 
the year and is comprised of all of the 
Non-Executive Directors. Full details of 
the work of the committee are set out in 
the audit committee report on page 44.

Remuneration committee

Andy McKeon was chairman of the 
remuneration committee from 1 January 2015 
to 2 April 2015 and from 21 September 
2015 onwards. Robin Taylor chaired the 
committee from 3 April 2015 to 
20 September 2015. The committee met 
four times during the year and comprises 
all Non-executive Directors. The committee 
is 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 are set out in the remuneration 
committee report on page 48.

Nomination committee

The nomination committee is chaired 
by Mike O’Leary and comprises all the 
Non-executive Directors. The committee 
is responsible for leading the Board 
appointments process and for considering 
the size, structure and composition of the 
Board. The committee met three times 
in the year. Full details of the work of the 
committee are set out in the nomination 
committee report on page 46.

The Board has ultimate responsibility for 
the Group’s internal control arrangements 
and for reviewing their effectiveness. 
Such arrangements guide and direct the 
activities of the Group to support delivery 
of its strategic, financial, operational and 
other objectives and safeguard shareholders’ 
investment and the Group’s assets. 

The Board recognises that a system 
of internal control reduces, but cannot 
eliminate, the likelihood and/or impact 
of poor judgement in decision-making, 
human error, deliberate circumvention 
of control processes by employees 
and others, management override 
of controls and the occurrence of 
unforeseeable circumstances. 

The Board sets policies and seeks 
and obtains on an on-going basis, both 
directly and through the audit committee, 
assurance regarding the existence and 
operation of appropriate internal controls 
to mitigate key strategic, financial, 
operational, compliance and reputation 
risks. The Board and audit committee 
consider any significant control matters 
raised in reports from management, the 
Company’s external auditor and the Group 
Internal Audit Manager, and it monitors 
the progress of remedial actions.

The key components of the Group’s overall 
control framework, all of which were in 
place, or established, throughout the year 
ended 31 December 2015 and up to the 
date of approval of this report, are set 
out on pages 16 to 18.

The Group has extensive internal quality 
assurance processes in critical areas of 
the business and there are functions within 
the Group that provide assurance and 
advice covering specialist areas, such as 
information security and clinical safety.

These are 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 not be expected to, increase 
the risks faced by the Company.

The Group currently has five ISO registrations 
including ISO27001 – Information Security.

Financial planning and monitoring 

EMIS Group sets annual budgets, 
incorporating three-year projections, 
which are subject to Board approval.

The Board reviews business performance 
when it meets. Summary financial information, 
including actual performance versus budget 
and expected performance and prior year 
comparatives, is provided to all Board 
members on a monthly basis. The monthly 
reporting process is supplemented by a 
cycle of quarterly reviews that incorporate 
in-depth re-forecasting of expected financial 
performance for the remainder of the current 
financial year.

Policies, procedures and authorisation limits 

The Group has grown both organically 
and through business acquisition in recent 
years. This has resulted in a mix of locally 
defined policies and procedures covering 
a range of activities, which are adequate, 
but not necessarily fully aligned with each 
other. Plans are in place to implement a 
range of Group-wide policies and procedures 
including a Finance Manual (complementing 
the roll-out of a Group-wide ERP system), 
a revised Confidential Whistleblowing 
Hotline Policy and a revised Business 
Expenses Policy. Hay Group commenced 
work to conduct a review of pay and 
benefits across the Group.

Segregation of duties, authorisation 
limits and other key internal controls are 
designed into both system-based and 
manual processes. These arrangements 
are reviewed periodically by management, 
internal quality assurance functions 
and internal audit to ensure they 
remain appropriate.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

41

Investor relations

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

At the AGM, on 26 April 2016, 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, including 
the committee Chairmen, will be available 
to answer questions at the AGM. The 
annual report, financial statements and 
related papers are placed on the Group’s 
website and posted to shareholders if 
they have requested a paper copy.

Governance

Corporate governance continued

Risk management 

The risk management process is 
described in the report of the audit 
committee on page 44. Principal risks and 
uncertainties are described in detail on 
pages 16 to 18.

The Board also considers the nature and 
extent of the principal risks for which 
it has appetite in achieving its strategic 
objectives and maintains sound risk 
management and internal control 
systems. There are formal and transparent 
arrangements for considering how 
corporate reporting, risk management 
and internal control principles are applied 
and for maintaining an appropriate 
relationship with the Company’s auditor. 
The principal risks and uncertainties that 
the Group faces, and features of the 
internal control system that operated 
throughout the period covered by the 
accounts, are referred to either below, 
or in the report of the audit committee on 
pages 43 to 45. The approach to risk 
management and the principal risks 
themselves are set out on pages 16 to 18.

Internal audit

During the year, the Group established 
an internal audit function and recruited 
a suitably qualified and experienced 
individual in the role of Group Internal 
Audit Manager. The Chair of the audit 
committee was involved in the 
recruitment process. 

The Group Internal Audit Manager 
reports administratively to the Group 

Financial Controller but also has direct 
and unfettered access to the chairman 
of the audit committee. This situation 
will be kept under review to ensure the 
function maintains its independence from 
management. The provision for internal 
audit is described in the report of the 
audit committee on page 43.

Other key controls which contribute 
to the overall management of the 
Group include: 

•  Authorisation limits are in place for 

the approval of all contracts.

•  Each principal business in the 

Group has an appropriate finance 
function with suitably qualified and 
experienced professionals. Divisional 
finance leads report into the Divisional 
Managing Directors and the Group 
Financial Controller.

•  A comprehensive monthly financial 

reporting system is in place which covers, 
amongst other things, operating results, 
cash flow, balance sheet information, 
forecasts and comparisons 
against budgets.

•  The Board receives regular updates 

from management on property, pensions, 
insurance, litigation, human resources, 
corporate social responsibility and 
health and safety matters.

•  The Group has commenced the roll-out 
of a common ERP solution (Microsoft 
Dynamics AX) across the Group to 
improve controls, business and 
financial reporting and processes.

42

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Report of the audit committee

Dear Shareholder

As chairman of the audit committee, I am 
pleased to present our report for the year 
ended 31 December 2015.

The report provides insight into the 
composition of the audit committee 
and the work it undertakes to ensure that 
it has performed its main responsibilities 
in reviewing financial reporting, internal 
control procedures and risk management 
and in relation to the objectivity and 
independence of the external auditor.

During the year, an internal audit function 
was established and a suitably qualified 
and experienced Group Internal Audit 
Manager appointed. The internal audit 
function objectively reviews the Company’s 
internal control processes in line with the 
risk-based internal audit plan approved by 
the committee. The plan is based primarily 
on output from the risk management 
process, but it is flexible and may include 
ad hoc investigations and other assurance 
work as agreed by the committee. Specialist 
technical knowledge and resource may be 
externally sourced if and when required. 
Internal audit operates in accordance with 
its Audit Charter, which was approved by 
the audit committee.

Composition and governance

The committee’s terms of reference are 
on the Group’s website and are reviewed 
and approved by the Board each year.

In addition to my role as chairman of 
the audit committee, I am also Senior 
Independent Non-executive Director. I am 
a member of the Institute of Chartered 
Accountants of Scotland and have served 
as Chief Financial Officer of several main 
market listed companies. The Board 
considers both myself and Kevin Boyd, 
who is the current Group Finance Director 
of Oxford Instruments plc, to have relevant 
financial experience, in accordance with 
section C.3.1 of the UK Corporate Governance 
Code. The Board evaluates the membership 
of the committee on an annual basis.

The other members of the committee are 
Andy McKeon and Mike O’Leary. The Board 
considered all members of the committee 

to be independent on appointment. 
The Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial 
Officer, Group Internal Audit Manager, 
Group Financial Controller and senior 
representatives of the external auditor 
attend committee meetings by invitation 
to ensure that all relevant information 
is available to the committee.

Biographical details are set out on pages 
34 and 35 respectively. 

The Board believes that the current 
members have sufficient skills, qualifications 
and experience to discharge their duties 
in accordance with the committee’s terms 
of reference. 

As chairman of the audit committee, 
I report to the Board following each 
committee meeting and meet with 
the external auditor, without executive 
management present, to discuss matters 
relating to its remit and any issues relating 
to the audit. I also meet with the external 
auditor, the Chief Financial Officer and the 
Group Internal Audit Manager regularly 
outside the formal meetings to ensure 
that any areas for discussion are dealt 
with on a timely basis.

How the committee discharged 
its responsibilities

During the year, the audit committee 
reviewed the frequency of meetings being 
held and increased the minimum number 
to four each year, aligned with the financial 
reporting calendar. 

The audit committee is assisted in 
discharging its responsibilities by executive 
management reports, internal and external 
audit reports, engagement with the Executive 
Management Team at the annual strategy 
meeting and by regular business planning 
and performance presentations.

An internal review of the effectiveness 
of the audit committee was carried out 
during the year, and no major deficiencies 
were noted. Executive management 
assisted the audit committee in ensuring 
that relevant papers of good quality were 
presented to allow informed debate and 
that sufficient time was available for review.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

43

Governance

Report of the audit committee continued

How the committee discharged its responsibilities continued

The work undertaken by the audit committee during the past year is detailed below:

Financial reporting

•  Reviewed the full-year results including the Annual Report and Accounts, preliminary results statement and the report from 
the external auditor. In reviewing the statements and determining whether they were fair, balanced and understandable, 
the committee considered the work and recommendations of management as well as the report from the external auditor.

•  Reviewed the interim results statement.

•  Considered the appropriateness of accounting policies and critical accounting estimates and judgements. To do this the 
committee considered information provided by the Chief Financial Officer and reports from the external auditor setting 
out their views on the accounting treatments and judgements in the financial statements. 

•  Reviewed the going concern assumptions when considering interim and final results statements and long-term viability when considering 
the final results statement, taking into account internal financial projections and the results of stress testing the financial models.

Risk management and internal control

•  Reviewed the Group risk management process and concluded that it is appropriate and operating effectively. The committee 
considers that the principal business risks are being captured and reported to the Board monthly and that the risk disclosures 
in the annual report are appropriate.

•  Considered the effectiveness of internal controls and risk management systems. There is continued focus on the quality and 

timeliness of internal financial reporting with the on-going programme to roll out the new Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP 
solution across the Group. The system is now live in EMIS Health Primary Care, EMIS Group plc and Egton.

•  Reviewed the effectiveness of the current procedures for the prevention of fraud. The committee reviewed the measures 

in place for the prevention and detection of fraud including extensive internal quality assurance processes and the system 
of internal financial controls as set out in the corporate governance report.

•  Reviewed the appropriateness of internal financial controls including cyber security risk and potential preventative measures.

•  Monitored and reviewed the effectiveness of the internal audit and Group finance functions.

•  Reviewed the whistleblowing policy to ensure arrangements are in place for the proportionate and independent investigation 
of any reported incidents. Arrangements for an independent third party whistleblowing hotline have now been put in place. 
The whistleblowing policy includes provision for employees to raise concerns with the Senior Non-executive Director. No matters 
were reported during the year. 

•  Reviewed the effectiveness of current compliance with the Bribery Act. There were no areas of non-compliance reported 

to the committee during the year and the committee was satisfied with current procedures, including training on the Bribery 
Act given to all employees.

External auditors

•  Reviewed the scope and the audit plan for the year-end Group and subsidiary audits.

•  Reviewed the formal engagement terms, objectivity and independence of the auditor, including the qualifications, expertise and 
resources available. KPMG has been the Company’s external auditor since 2013, with the current audit partner having been appointed 
in that year. Relevant UK professional and regulatory requirements are taken into consideration including the extent of non-audit 
work undertaken. The audit committee is consulted prior to engagement of the external auditor for non-audit work and formally 
approves any individually material non-audit services. Consideration is given to any perceived threat to independence prior to 
the procurement of non-audit services from the external auditor, with other external advisers used where appropriate. During 
the year the cost of non-audit services carried out by the auditor amounted to £176,000, which related principally to tax and 
forensic investigation services, the latter further to the employee fraud detected at the start of 2015 as disclosed in last year’s 
audit committee report. Full details of fees paid to KPMG in the year are set out in note 6 to the financial statements.

•  Assessed the effectiveness of the external audit process by reviewing, amongst other things, whether the auditor has met 

the agreed audit plan and by considering the robustness and perceptiveness of the auditor in its handling of key accounting 
and audit judgements identified.

44

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Financial reporting and significant areas of judgement

In finalising the 2015 financial statements, the significant judgements considered by the committee and discussed with the 
external auditor were as follows:

Nature of the Issue

What the committee considered and any actions undertaken

Carrying amount of 
goodwill, intangible assets 
acquired and investments

The carrying amounts of goodwill, intangible assets acquired and investments are reviewed for 
impairment at least annually and are assessed against the net present value of projected cash 
flows for each cash-generating unit. Details of the assumptions used in relation to the review 
of goodwill carrying value are set out in note 13 to the financial statements.

Following the reviews during the year, an impairment charge of £18,500,000 has been 
recognised in the Group Statement of Comprehensive Income, comprising a reduction in 
the carrying value of goodwill of £16,183,000 and of investment in associates of £2,317,000. 

The former relates to the carrying value of goodwill arising on the Secondary Care (Ascribe)
acquisition, and reflects the fact that the business has not yet delivered the financial returns 
expected when the business joined the Group in 2013. The latter is in respect of the Group’s 
minority investment in Pharmacy2U, held since 2005. This business has had a troubled year, 
including a number of fundraising rounds in which the Group has chosen not to participate. 
The Group’s interest has reduced accordingly and is now below 15%. In the circumstances, the 
Directors believe that it is appropriate to impair fully the Group’s investment in the business.

The committee discussed the assumptions underlying the related cash flow projections with 
both management and KPMG and also considered the appropriateness of the discount rates 
used. Following discussion on headroom and sensitivity, the committee was satisfied that the 
carrying amount of goodwill, intangible assets acquired and investments, after the impairment 
charge recognised in the year, was appropriate.

The audit committee considered the Group’s revenue recognition policies and concluded that 
the Group’s existing approach remained appropriate, noting that this was adequately explained 
in the revenue recognition accounting policy note and consistent with the requirements of IAS 18. 
The external auditor performed substantive testing in this area and reported its findings 
to the committee.

The process to capture and categorise development costs was reviewed. There were no material 
changes to this process from the prior year, with the roll-out of Microsoft Dynamics AX during 
2016 expected to further improve the quality of reporting in this area. Balances carried forward 
in respect of development costs were considered for possible impairment and the committee 
concluded that the carrying values and amortisation periods were appropriate.

Revenue recognition

Research and 
Development costs

Robin Taylor
Chairman of the audit committee
15 March 2016

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

45

Governance

Report of the nomination committee

Dear Shareholder

•  As part of the Board evaluation 

I am pleased to present our report 
for the year ended 31 December 2015.

Roles and responsibilities

The committee is responsible for:

•  ensuring that the balance of Directors 
on the Board remains appropriate as 
the Group develops to ensure that the 
business can compete effectively in 
the marketplace; 

• 

identifying and nominating candidates 
to fill Board vacancies as and when 
they arise;

•  evaluation of the balance of skills, 

knowledge, experience and diversity 
of the Board to ensure the optimum 
mix; and

•  considering the succession planning 
for Directors and senior managers to 
ensure that there is a pipeline of high 
calibre candidates and that succession 
is managed smoothly.

The committee has met three times 
during the year. The committee has terms 
of reference which are regularly reviewed 
and are published on the Group’s website. 
Non-executive Directors are appointed 
by a letter of engagement and details of 
their terms and those of the Executive 
Directors are given on pages 54 and 55.

Review of activity during the year

•  Following the decision of 

Andy McKeon to step down as 
Non-executive Director for personal 
reasons, the committee reviewed the 
balance of experience on the Board 
and concluded that there was 
no immediate need to recruit an 
additional Non-executive Director. 
Andy McKeon remained as a 
consultant to the Board during 
his agreed leave of absence and the 
need to replace his expertise on 
the Board was kept under regular 
review throughout the period.

process, the committee considered in 
detail the balance of skills, knowledge, 
experience and diversity of the Board 
as a whole and it was agreed that there 
was currently no requirement to recruit 
an additional Non-executive Director. 
This would be kept under review. 

•  The committee considered succession 
planning for the Board and senior 
managers within the Group. This was 
also considered by the full Board. 
Coaching and mentoring was provided 
to senior individuals and during the 
course of the year opportunities were 
identified to support the broadening 
of skills sets and experience. 

•  The committee considered its 

performance and terms of reference 
and concluded it continued to 
operate effectively.

The committee considered the following 
proposed appointments, having given 
regard to their ability to continue to 
contribute to the Board going forward. 
In all cases the Directors who were subject 
to election or re-election were not present 
and did not vote when proposals regarding 
their own position were discussed:

•  election of Kevin Boyd as Non-executive 
Director at the AGM on 29 April 2015 in 
accordance with the Code;

•  re-election of all of the other 

members of the Board at the AGM 
on the 29 April 2015 in accordance 
with the Code;

•  election of Andrew McKeon as 

Non-executive Director at the AGM 
on 26 April 2016 in accordance with 
the Code; and 

•  re-election of all other members of the 
Board at the AGM on the 26 April 2016 
in line with the articles of association and, 
after due consideration, recommendation 
of their re-appointment to the Board.

Mike O’Leary
Chairman of the nomination committee
15 March 2016

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Report of the remuneration committee

maintained and a major contract was 
secured which will give further market 
share growth over the next 18 months. 

However in Secondary & Specialist Care, 
the Secondary Care business was impacted 
by a slower than hoped for rate of contract 
awards. EMIS Health Specialist and Care 
delivered a strong set of results for the year.

The Group’s revenue visibility, order book 
and pipeline remained strong, with the 
Group achieving 20% growth in recurring 
revenue in the period.

Committee membership

During the year I took an agreed leave of 
absence from the Board from 2 April 2015 
and was re-appointed to the Board and as 
Chair of the remuneration committee on 
30 September 2015. During this time, our 
Senior Non-executive Director, Robin Taylor, 
assumed the role of Chair of the remuneration 
committee and I would like to thank Robin 
for his stewardship during this period. 

Remuneration for 2015

As in previous years, Executive Directors 
were eligible to receive a bonus depending 
on the level of Group adjusted profit achieved. 
Performance targets were stretching and 
based on the financial performance of the 
Group. Performance during the year, taking 
into account the impact of acquisitions 
and associated costs in the year, did not 
result in an on-target performance and 
therefore the committee concluded that, 
in line with the rules, no bonus payments 
would be made.

Further details about the variable pay 
awards are set out in the Directors’ 
remuneration report on pages 49 to 60. 

Dear Shareholder

On behalf of the Board I am pleased to 
present the report of the remuneration 
committee for 2015. This report is split into 
three sections: firstly, my report, which 
summarises the work of the remuneration 
committee during the year and outlines 
some of the factors taken into account by 
the committee when reaching key decisions; 
secondly, the Remuneration Policy which 
is included here for ease of reference; 
and, finally, the annual report on 
remuneration. The annual report sets out 
the remuneration paid to Directors in 2015 
including bonus payments and long-term 
incentives and also includes the detail on 
how we intend to implement our 
Remuneration Policy in 2016.

As the Company is quoted on AIM, it is 
not required to comply with the UK Listing 
Authority Rules or the UK Corporate 
Governance Code; however in 2013, the 
committee did decide to adopt a number 
of the key reporting requirements from this 
guidance. The committee remains committed 
to continuing development of best practice, 
where appropriate, in Remuneration Policy. 
The committee has clearly defined terms 
of reference which are reviewed annually 
by the committee. These are available on the 
website at www.emisgroupplc.com/investors.

The remuneration report will be 
presented at the Annual General Meeting on 
26 April 2016 by way of an advisory vote.

Corporate performance

As outlined in the strategic report on 
pages 1 to 33, EMIS Group had another 
strong year in 2015, delivering a 13% increase 
in revenue and a 12% rise in adjusted 
operating profit, achieved both organically 
and through the recently acquired 
businesses. Overall, trading for the year 
was in line with the Board’s expectations 
and the Group increased its like-for-like 
operating margin from 23.7% to 24.4%. 

Our market leading position in UK 
Primary Care was maintained and 
the Group continued its contract win 
momentum in CCMH. The leading position 
in the independent pharmacy market was 

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Report of the remuneration committee continued

Implementation of policy for 2016

Base salaries – when Chris Spencer and Peter Southby were appointed in 2013 and 2012 respectively, their overall remuneration 
package was based on advice from Kepler Associates and set against market practice and, more particularly, their experience on 
appointment. The committee agreed that a more detailed review would take place in November 2015 with a view to an increase being 
considered and any agreed change being implemented from 1 January 2016. 

Kepler Associates again benchmarked the remuneration of the CEO and CFO against roles at companies of a similar size and sector. 
Both Chris’ and Peter’s salaries were reported as lower quartile. The committee also considered individual performance, any increase 
in responsibilities and overall contribution to the Group when assessing whether an increase was merited and, if so, its size. Our key 
consideration when reviewing base salary continues to be performance and growth in the role. 

In relation to Chris Spencer, the committee considered he has clearly demonstrated considerable development in the role and also took 
into account his deep understanding of the business, its significant growth in size since he was appointed, its increasing complexity 
and the market in which it operates. He has developed a clear vision and strategic direction for the Group and established strong 
credibility in the external market. The committee therefore considered it appropriate to increase Chris Spencer’s salary from £312,000 
to £350,000. However, Chris requested that, in light of cost reductions being taken elsewhere, the increase should be postponed until 
1 January 2017. The committee accepted his request. Chris Spencer will receive an increase of 2% in 2016. 

Peter Southby has grown considerably in his CFO role since joining the Group and has received excellent feedback from external 
advisers again during the course of the year. He continues to successfully manage the Group finance team for a larger and more 
complex business than when he joined. His role has also been extended to cover other Group functions including Legal, Human 
Resources, Health and Safety, Facilities, Purchasing and Governance. The committee considers that Peter has grown and developed 
successfully and ably performs his CFO and extended role and therefore the committee considers it appropriate to increase his 
salary from £225,000 to £250,000 in 2016. 

Major shareholders were consulted regarding the committee’s proposed changes.

Bonus payments – In future, all bonus payments will be subject to claw back. In addition, Executive Directors are required to invest 
40% of any net bonus payment in shares of the Company until the relevant minimum shareholding applicable to their role is met. 
This came into effect on 1 January 2016.

LTIP - LTIP awards continue to be subject to claw back. In addition from 1 January 2016, Executive Directors and certain other senior 
managers in the Group are subject to the requirement to use vested shares to add to their shareholding until the relevant minimum 
shareholding applicable to their role is met.

I hope that you find the information in this report useful and I look forward to your support at the forthcoming AGM. 

Andy McKeon
Chairman of the remuneration committee
15 March 2016

The committee also considered the following issues: 

•  Reviewed the AGM voting outcome for the 2014 report.

•  Approved the vesting of the awards under the 2012 CSOP. 

•  Reviewed the overall remuneration packages (including 
pension) of the Executive Directors with the aim of 
recognising best practice, aligning with shareholder 
objectives and encouraging behaviours to maintain 
the long-term success of the business.

•  The committee also approved the performance measures 

set for the bonus scheme.

•  Reviewed reward structures for the Executive 

management and the wider management team.

•  Approved the vesting of an award, at the first measurement 

date, to Peter Southby granted on 2 May 2013.

•  Reviewed and approved all awards made under the LTIP. 

The committee also approved the performance 
measures set for the LTIP. 

•  Reviewed the CSOP and LTIP structure taking into account 
current market best practice and institutional investors’ 
current guidelines.

•  Considered external market developments and best 

•  Reviewed and approved all awards made under the 

practice in remuneration.

Company share option plan (CSOP). The committee also 
approved the performance measures set for the CSOP.

•  Reviewed the committee terms of reference.

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Directors’ remuneration report
Directors’ Remuneration Policy

The Remuneration Policy aims 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. The policy outlined on pages 49 to 55 applied from 29 April 2015.

Policy table

The policy table below summarises the key components of remuneration for Executive Directors: 

Element

Base salary

To recognise the individual’s 
skills and experience and 
provide a competitive base 
reward to attract and retain 
Executive Directors.

Pension

To provide a market 
competitive retirement benefit.

Share incentive plan (SIP)

Operation 

Opportunity

Performance metrics

None.

Base salaries are reviewed 
annually, taking into account 
the individual’s performance, 
responsibility, skills and 
experience; Group performance 
and market conditions; salary 
levels for similar roles at relevant 
comparators (including 
companies of a similar size 
and sector); and pay levels 
and salary increases across the 
wider employee population.

Any changes take effect from 
1 January each year.

Any increase will typically be 
in line with those awarded to 
the wider employee population. 
The committee has discretion 
to award higher increases in 
circumstances that it considers 
appropriate, such as a material 
change in complexity of the 
business or responsibility of 
the role. Details of salary 
changes will be disclosed in 
the annual report for the 
relevant year.

The Group makes 
contributions to the private 
pension schemes or other 
appropriate arrangements for 
the Executive Directors.

Executive Directors receive 
a contribution of up to 15% 
of salary.

None.

None.

Participants can purchase 
shares up to the prevailing 
HMRC approved limit at the 
time employees are invited 
to participate (currently up 
to £1,800 per annum).

The Company currently 
offers to match purchases 
made through the plan at 
the rate of one free matching 
share for every three 
shares purchased.

Open to all UK tax resident 
employees of participating 
Group companies with at 
least one year’s service. 
Executive Directors are 
eligible to participate.

The plan is an HMRC approved 
plan that allows an employee 
to purchase shares using gross 
pay. If an employee agrees to 
purchase shares, the Company 
matches purchased shares with 
an award of matching shares 
which are subject to continued 
employment for three years. 
Dividends accrue on purchased 
shares and matching shares.

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Directors’ remuneration report continued
Directors’ Remuneration Policy continued

Policy table continued

Element

Benefits

To provide market 
competitive benefits.

Operation 

Opportunity

Performance metrics

Benefits may include, 
but are not limited to, 
a car or car allowance 
and life insurance. 

In certain circumstances, 
the committee may also 
approve the provision 
of additional allowances 
relating to the relocation 
of an Executive Director and 
other expatriate benefits to 
perform his or her role.

Benefits vary by role and 
individual circumstances and 
are reviewed periodically. 

None.

Benefits in respect of the year 
under review are disclosed in 
the annual report.

The committee retains 
the discretion to approve 
a higher cost in exceptional 
circumstances (e.g. relocation) 
or in circumstances where 
factors outside the Group’s 
control have changed 
materially (e.g. increases 
in insurance premiums).

Annual bonus

To provide an incentive to 
drive the Executive Directors to 
deliver stretching performance 
and growth.

Performance measures, 
targets and weightings are 
set by the committee at the 
start of the year. 

For Executive Directors, 
the maximum annual bonus 
opportunity is 100% of 
base salary. 

No bonus is payable until 
target performance is 
achieved. For target 
performance, the bonus 
level is 50% of maximum.

At the end of each year, 
the committee determines 
the extent to which targets 
have been achieved.

Bonus payments are delivered 
entirely in cash and from 
1 January 2016 are subject 
to claw back.

Executive Directors are subject 
to the requirement to invest 40% 
of any net bonus payment in 
shares of the company until 
the minimum shareholding 
level relevant to their role is 
met. This came into effect 
on 1 January 2016.

Performance is assessed 
on an annual basis, using 
a combination of the 
Group’s main KPIs for the 
year. Measures may include 
financial and non-financial 
metrics as well as the 
achievement of personal 
objectives. The financial 
performance measure 
currently applied is Group 
adjusted profit; however, the 
committee has the 
discretion to adjust the 
performance measures and 
weightings to ensure that they 
continue to be linked to the 
delivery of Group strategy.

The range of performance 
required under each measure 
is calibrated with reference to 
the Group’s internal budgets. 
Any individual element is 
based on the strength of 
the Executive’s personal 
performance over the 
course of the year.

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Policy table continued

Annual bonus continued

The LTIP provides for annual 
awards of performance shares 
of up to 100% of salary.

Threshold performance will 
result in 25% of maximum 
vesting, rising on a straight 
line basis to full vesting 
for maximum levels 
of performance.

Long-term incentive plan (LTIP)

To drive sustained long-term 
business performance, aid 
retention and align the 
interests of Executive Directors 
with shareholders.

Awards of shares or nil cost 
options vest subject to the 
achievement of pre-defined 
performance conditions 
over a three-year period. 

At the start of each 
performance period, the 
committee reviews award 
levels and performance 
conditions to ensure they 
remain appropriate and 
sets performance targets 
which it considers to be 
appropriately stretching. 

Dividend payments do 
not accrue.

LTIP awards are subject 
to claw back.

Executive Directors are subject 
to the requirement to use vested 
shares to add to their beneficial 
shareholding until the minimum 
shareholding level relevant 
to their role is met.

The committee has the 
discretion to adjust the 
formulaic bonus outcomes 
both upwards (within the 
plan limits) and downwards 
to ensure that payments 
accurately reflect business 
performance over the 
performance period, e.g. 
in the event of unforeseen 
circumstances outside 
of management control.

Awards vest subject to 
continued employment and 
Group performance. The 
current performance 
measure is growth in EPS; 
however, the committee has 
the discretion to adjust the 
performance measures and 
weightings to ensure that they 
continue to be linked to the 
delivery of Group strategy.

Awards under the LTIP 
have a vesting (performance) 
period of three years and 
must be held for two years 
from their vesting date.

As under the annual bonus, 
the committee has the 
discretion to adjust the 
formulaic LTIP outcomes 
to ensure that payments 
accurately reflect business 
performance over the 
performance period, e.g. 
in the event of unforeseen 
circumstances outside 
of management control.

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Directors’ remuneration report continued
Directors’ Remuneration Policy continued

Notes to the policy table

Performance measurement selection

The aim of the annual bonus plan is 
to reward key Executives over and above 
base salary for the achievement of business 
objectives. The bonus criteria are selected 
annually to reflect the Group’s main financial 
KPIs for the year and are designed to 
encourage continuous performance 
improvement for the Group. Group financial 
performance targets relating to the annual 
bonus plan are set from the Group’s annual 
budget, which is reviewed and signed 
off by the Group Board prior to the start 
of each financial year. Adjusted profit 
is currently used as a key performance 
indicator for the annual bonus plan because 
it is a clear measure of the underlying 
financial performance of the Group. 

LTIP awards currently vest based on 
EPS growth over three years. EPS has 
been selected as it is a key measure of 
long-term performance for the Group 
and is closely aligned with the Group’s 
strategic plans and with the profit 
attributable to shareholders. For the 
LTIP, performance measures and targets 
are reviewed by the committee ahead 

of each grant and must be considered 
by the committee to be challenging 
but achievable. 

Targets applying to the bonus and LTIP 
are reviewed regularly, based on a number 
of internal and external reference points. 
Performance targets are set to be 
stretching but achievable, with regard 
to the particular strategic priorities and 
economic environment in a given year.

Remuneration policy for other employees

The approach to annual salary reviews 
is consistent across the Group, with 
consideration given to individual 
performance, skills, experience and 
responsibility; Group performance and 
market conditions; and salary levels for 
similar roles in relevant comparators. 
Opportunities and specific performance 
conditions vary by organisational level 
with business area-specific metrics 
incorporated where appropriate. A senior 
management group of approximately 
30 individuals is eligible to participate 
in the LTIP. Performance conditions are 
consistent for all participants, while 
award sizes vary by organisational level. 
Specific cash incentives are also in place 

to motivate, reward and retain staff below 
Board level. All UK-based employees are 
eligible to participate in the Company’s 
SIP scheme on the same terms.

Shareholding guidelines

The committee continues to 
recognise the importance of Executive 
Directors aligning their interests with 
shareholders through building up a 
significant shareholding in the Company. 
Shareholding guidelines are in place 
requiring Executive Directors to acquire 
a minimum holding, equivalent to 300% 
of base salary for the Chief Executive 
Officer and 100% of base salary for the 
Chief Financial Officer. A Director is only 
permitted to dispose of shares if it does 
not take the holding below the relevant 
minimum level or if the disposal was to 
meet a tax or other liability created by 
the vesting of a share award.

Shares granted under the LTIP must be held 
for two years from their vesting date, subject 
to any sale to meet a tax or other liability. 
Shares held during the retention period 
are also subject to a claw back provision. 

Pay scenario charts for Executive Directors

The charts below provide estimates of the potential future reward opportunity for each of the two current Executive Directors for 
2016 and the potential split between different elements of remuneration under three different scenarios: “Minimum”, “Target” 
and “Maximum” performance.

Chief Executive Officer – Chris Spencer

Chief Financial Officer – Peter Southby

Maximum

Target

£1,032k

Maximum

£804k

£634k

Target

£491k

Minimum

£395k

Minimum

£304k

£000s

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

£000s

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

— Basic salary and benefits
— Bonus
— Long term incentives

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Pay scenario charts for Executive Directors continued

Potential reward opportunities illustrated on page 52 are based on the Remuneration Policy, applied to the base salary as at 
1 January 2016. It should be noted that LTIP awards granted in a year normally vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant and 
the projected value of LTIP amounts excludes the impact of share price movement over the vesting period. Share scheme awards 
are expected to vest for Chris Spencer and Peter Southby during 2016 in relation to two grants each under the CSOP for £10,000 as 
reported at the time. All other elements of actual pay delivered, however, will be influenced by the following factors:

Fixed

Annual bonus

LTIP

Component

Base salary

Pension

“Minimum”

“Target”

“Maximum”

Latest known salary

Contribution rate applied to latest known salary

Other benefits

Benefits as provided in the single figure table on page 57

No bonus payable

No LTIP vesting

50%

25%

100%

100%

Approach to recruitment remuneration – Executive Directors

In the cases of hiring or appointing a new Executive Director, the committee may make use of any or all of the existing components 
of remuneration, as follows:

Component

Approach

Base salary

Pension

SIP

The base salaries of new appointees will be determined by reference to the individual’s 
role, responsibilities, experience and skills, relevant market data, internal relativities and 
their current basic salary. Where new appointees have initial basic salaries set below market, 
any shortfall may be managed with phased increases over a period of years subject to their 
development in the role.

New appointees will be eligible to receive a pension contribution in line with existing policy.

New appointees will be eligible to participate in the Company’s HMRC approved all-employee 
share scheme, in line with the policy.

Benefits

New appointees will be eligible to receive benefits in line with the policy.

Maximum value

Not applicable.

Annual bonus

The annual bonus described in the policy table will apply to new appointees with the 
relevant maximum being pro-rated to reflect the proportion of employment over the year. 
Targets for the individual element will be tailored to the Executive.

Up to 100% 
of salary p.a.

LTIP

New appointees will be eligible for awards under the LTIP which will normally be on the 
same terms as awards made to other Executive Directors, as described in the policy table.

Up to 100% 
of salary p.a.

In determining appropriate remuneration for a new Executive Director, the committee will take into consideration all relevant 
factors (including quantum, nature of remuneration and the jurisdiction from which the candidate was recruited) to ensure that 
the pay arrangements are in the best interests of the Group and its shareholders. 

In addition to the above elements of remuneration, the committee may consider it appropriate to grant an award under 
a different structure in order to facilitate the recruitment of an individual, to replace incentive arrangements forfeited on leaving 
a previous employer.

Such “buyout awards” would have a fair value no higher than that of the awards forfeited. In doing so, the committee will consider 
relevant factors including any performance conditions attached to these awards, the likelihood of those conditions being met and 
the proportion of the vesting period remaining. 

In cases of appointing a new Executive Director by way of internal promotion, the remuneration committee will be consistent 
with the policy for external appointees detailed above. Where an individual has contractual commitments made prior to their 
promotion to Executive Director level, the Company will continue to honour these arrangements. 

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Governance

Directors’ remuneration report continued
Directors’ Remuneration Policy continued

Approach to recruitment remuneration – Executive Directors continued

External appointments

It is the Board’s policy to allow each Executive Director to take up one non-executive position on the board of another company, 
subject to the prior approval of the Board. Any fee earned in relation to outside appointments is retained by the Executive Director. 
No such positions were taken and so no such fees were paid during the financial year. 

Service contracts 

The Executive Directors are employed under contracts of employment with the Group. Executive Directors’ contracts are available 
to view at the Company’s registered office. The principal terms of the Executive Directors’ service contracts are as follows:

Notice period

Executive Director

Chris Spencer
Peter Southby

Position

Effective date of contract

From Company

From Director

Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer

3 July 2013
1 October 2012

Twelve months
Twelve months

Twelve months
Twelve months

Remuneration policy for the Chairman and Non-executive Directors

The Board determines the Remuneration Policy and level of fees for the Non-executive Directors, within the limits set out in the 
articles of association. The remuneration committee recommends the Remuneration Policy and level of fees for the Chairman of the 
Board. 

The policy table below summarises the key components of remuneration for the Chairman and Non-executive Directors.

Element

Fees

To reflect market competitive 
rates for the role, as well 
as individual performance 
and contribution.

Operation 

Opportunity

Performance 
metrics

The Chairman and Non-executive 
Directors receive a basic fee for their 
respective roles. Additional fees are 
paid to Non-executive Directors for 
additional services such as chairing 
a Board committee. 

Fees are reviewed annually with 
reference to information provided by 
remuneration surveys, the extent of the 
duties performed, time commitment, 
and the size and complexity of the 
Group. Fee levels are benchmarked 
against sector comparators and 
appropriate listed companies of 
similar size and complexity.

Fee increases are applied in line 
with the outcome of the annual 
review. Fees for the year commencing 
1 January 2016 are set out in the annual 
report on remuneration.

None.

There is no prescribed maximum 
fee. It is expected that increases to 
Non-executive Director fee levels will 
be in line with salaried employees 
over the life of the policy. However, 
in the event that there is a material 
misalignment with the market or a 
change in the complexity, responsibility 
or time commitment required to fulfil a 
Non-executive Director role, the Board 
has discretion to make an appropriate 
adjustment to the fee level.

Non-executive Directors' remuneration

In the case of hiring or appointing a new Non-executive Director, the committee will follow the policy as set out in the table on page 53. 
A base fee in line with the prevailing fee schedule would be payable for Board membership, with additional fees payable for 
additional services, such as chairing a Board committee.

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Non-executive Directors’ service contracts

Letters of appointment are provided to the Chairman and Non-executive Directors. Non-executive Directors have letters of 
appointment effective for a period of three years and are subject to annual re-election at the AGM. Non-executive Directors’ letters 
of appointment are available to view at the Company’s registered office. 

Non-executive Directors’ letters of appointment and the unexpired period of their appointments (where appropriate after extension 
by re-election) are set out below:

Date of first
appointment

17 March 2011

1 March 2010

Unexpired term
as at 
31 March 2016

 11 months

 11 months

Date of last
appointment

Last
re-appointment
at AGM 

17 March 2014

29 April 2015

1 March 2014

29 April 2015

9 May 2014

1 year 1 month

9 May 2014

1 February 2013

2 years 5 months 

21 September 2015

—

—

Notice period

Six months

Six months

Six months

Six months

Non-executive Director

Mike O’Leary

Robin Taylor

Kevin Boyd

Andy McKeon

Exit payment policy

The Company’s policy is to limit any payment made to a departing Director to contractual arrangements and to honour any 
pre-established commitments. As part of this process, the committee will take into consideration the Executive Director’s duty 
to mitigate their loss.

The table below summarises how the awards under the bonus scheme and LTIP are typically treated in different leaver scenarios 
and a change of control. Whilst the committee retains overall discretion on determining “good leaver” status, it typically defines 
a “good leaver” in circumstances such as retirement with the consent of the Company, ill health, disability, death, redundancy, 
or any other reason as the committee decides. Final treatment is subject to the committee’s discretion.

Reason for leaving

Timing of vesting 

Treatment of awards

Annual bonus

“Good leaver”

Paid at the same time as continuing employees.

Eligible for an award to the extent that performance 
targets are satisfied and the award is pro-rated for the 
proportion of the financial year served.

“Bad leaver”

No annual bonus payable.

Not applicable.

Change of control

Paid immediately on the effective date of change 
of control.

Eligible for an award to the extent that performance 
targets are satisfied up to the change of control and the 
award is pro-rated for the proportion of the financial 
year served to the effective date of change of control.

LTIP

“Good leaver”

Continue until the normal vesting date or vest 
immediately at the discretion of the committee. 
In the event of death of a participant, the award 
would vest immediately.

Outstanding awards vest to the extent the performance 
conditions are satisfied and the awards are pro-rated to 
reflect the length of the vesting period served unless 
the Board decides otherwise. In the event of the death 
of a participant during the performance period, the 
award would vest in full.

“Bad leaver”

Outstanding awards are forfeited.

Not applicable.

Change of control

Vest immediately on the effective date of change 
of control.

Outstanding awards vest subject to the satisfaction 
of performance conditions as at the effective date 
of change of control, and the award is pro-rated for 
the proportion of the vesting period served to the 
effective date of change of control unless the Board 
decides otherwise.

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Directors’ remuneration report continued
Annual report on remuneration

The following section provides details of how the Group’s Remuneration Policy was implemented during the financial year ending 
31 December 2015.

Remuneration committee membership in 2015

The committee met four times during the year under review. The members of the committee are:

Committee member

Andy McKeon1
Robin Taylor2
Mike O’Leary
Kevin Boyd

Number of
throughout 2015 meetings attended

Member

No
Yes
Yes
Yes 

1
4
4
4

1  Andy McKeon was Chair of the committee from 1 January 2015 to 2 April 2015 and from 30 September 2015.

2  Robin Taylor acted as Chair of the committee from 2 April 2015 until 30 September 2015. 

During the year, the committee sought internal support from the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, who attended 
committee meetings by invitation from the Chairman to advise on specific questions raised by the committee and on matters 
relating to the performance and remuneration of senior managers where it was considered that their attendance would make a 
significant contribution. The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer were not present for any discussions that related 
directly to their own remuneration. The Company Secretary attended each meeting as Secretary to the committee.

Independent advice

In undertaking its responsibilities, the committee seeks independent external advice as necessary. For the year under review, 
the committee continued to retain the services of Kepler Associates as the principal external advisers to the committee. When 
required, Kepler Associates provides independent advice on a wide range of remuneration matters including current market practice, 
benchmarking of Executive pay and incentive design and provides no other services to the Company. During the year 
Kepler Associates provided advice on Executive and Non-executive Director salaries. 

The committee evaluates the support provided by its advisers on a regular basis and is satisfied that the Kepler team provides 
independent remuneration advice to the committee and does not have any connections with the Group that may impair its independence. 
Kepler Associates is a founding member and signatory of the Code of Conduct for Remuneration Consultants, details of which can 
be found at www.remunerationconsultantsgroup.com. A further review of advisers will be undertaken in 2016. 

Summary of shareholder voting at the 2015 AGM

There was an advisory vote on the remuneration report at the AGM in 2015. The result of the vote was published on the website 
after the meeting. Of the 37,879,871 votes cast, 37,097,792 (99.62%) of the votes were for the resolution, with 140,600 (0.38%) 
against and 641,479 votes withheld.

56

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Single total figure of remuneration for Executive Directors – audited

The table below sets out a single figure for the total remuneration received by each Executive Director for the year ended 
31 December 2015 and the prior year:

Base salary
Taxable benefits1
Pension2
Annual bonus3
Share schemes4,5

Total

Chris Spencer
£’000

Peter Southby
£’000

2015 

312
28
47
—
1

388

2014

300
19
45
150
1

515

2015 

225
16
34
—
102

377

2014

200
13
30
100
1

344

1  Taxable benefits consist primarily of company car and private fuel benefit.

2  Pension: During the year the Executive Directors received 15% of base salary as employer contributions.

3   Annual bonus: This is the total bonus earned in respect of performance during the relevant year. Annual bonuses are received in cash. Further details of annual 

bonus awards for 2015 can be found in the report of the remuneration committee on pages 57 and 58. 

4   On 11 November 2015, Peter Southby exercised options over 27,714 ordinary shares of 1p each (“Ordinary Shares”) at a price of £7.09 per Ordinary Share under 

an existing option contract granted on 2 May 2013. 

5  The total amount shown includes the value of matching shares awarded under the SIP.

Single total figure of remuneration for Non-executive Directors – audited

The table below sets out a single figure for the total remuneration received by each Non-executive Director for the year ended 
31 December 2015 and the prior year:

Mike O’Leary
Robin Taylor
Andy McKeon1
Kevin Boyd
Sean Riddell2

Base fee
£’000

Committee 
chairmanship fees
£’000

Total
£’000

2015 

2014

2015 

2014

2015 

2014

80
35
18
35
3

80
35
35
23
35

—
8
2
—
—

—
5
5
—
—

80
43
20
35
3

80
40
40
23
35

1  Andy McKeon resigned as a Director on 2 April 2015 and was reappointed on 30 September 2015.

2  Sean Riddell resigned as a Director on 30 January 2015.

Incentive outcomes for the year ended 31 December 2015

Bonus

During the year ended 31 December 2015, Executive Directors were eligible to receive a bonus of up to 100% of salary, depending 
on the level of Group adjusted profit achieved. Target performance was calibrated to deliver a bonus of 50% of maximum, with no 
payment for below threshold performance. Bonuses are paid entirely in cash and are not subject to clawback. Corporate targets set 
by the committee require Executive Directors to deliver significant stretch performance, to achieve maximum bonus. 

Performance during the year, taking into account the impact of acquisitions and associated costs in the year, did not reach the level 
required for target performance. The remuneration committee reviewed the results and, in line with the rules, concluded that no 
bonus payments would be made for the year under review. 

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

57

Governance

Directors’ remuneration report continued
Annual report on remuneration continued

Incentive outcomes for the year ended 31 December 2015 continued

Bonus continued

For 2015 the targets were as follows:

•  0% of salary if the Group adjusted profit was below £38.425m;

•  50% of salary if the Group adjusted profit was or exceeded £38.425m; and

• 

If the Group adjusted profit was greater than £38.425m then bonus would increase pro rata to Group adjusted profit up to 
a maximum of 100% at £41.850m.

Long-term incentive awards vesting

On 11 November 2015, Peter Southby, Chief Financial Officer, exercised options over 27,714 ordinary shares of 1p each at a price 
of £7.09 per Ordinary Share under an existing option contract granted on 2 May 2013. Options were subject to TSR performance 
criteria. As a result Peter Southby subsequently acquired 27,714 Ordinary Shares at a price of £7.09 per Ordinary Share and disposed 
of 22,714 Ordinary Shares at a price of £10.75 per Ordinary Share to fund the option exercise price, tax and National Insurance 
obligations. These Ordinary Shares were acquired by JY Trustees Limited on behalf of the EMIS Group plc Employee Benefit Trust. 

Scheme interests awarded in 2015

2015 long-term incentive plan 

In 2015, the following awards were granted under the long-term incentive plan:

Executive Director

Chris Spencer
Peter Southby

Performance condition for 2015 awards

Performance level

Below threshold
Base target threshold
Middle target threshold
Maximum target threshold

Date of grant

28 April 2015
28 April 2015

Awards
made
during
the year

34,647
24,986

Market price
at date of
 award

Normal 
vesting date

900.5p
900.5p

28 April 2018
28 April 2018

Face value
at date of
award

£312,000
£225,000

EPS growth over
 performance
 period

Below 33.1%
33.1%
46.3%
72.8% or higher

% award 
to vest

0%
25%
50%
100%

Performance conditions – insofar as the base target threshold is exceeded the percentage of award shares vesting increases pro 
rata between the base target and the maximum target.

2015 SIP awards 

During the year under review, the Executive Directors were awarded matching shares under the SIP as a result of their own personal 
contributions in acquiring partnership shares. The value of these was less than £1,000 each. There were no performance conditions 
attached to the SIP awards. The Executive Directors participate in the SIP to the maximum extent permitted by the HMRC. 
The Company offers a one matching share for every three partnership shares purchased by employees.

Ad hoc payments 

There were no ad hoc payments to any Directors for the year ended 31 December 2015.

Payments to past Directors

There were no payments to past Directors for the year ended 31 December 2015.

58

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

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Governance

Financial statements

Relative importance of spend on pay

The table below shows the Group’s expenditure on shareholder distributions (including dividends) and total employee pay 
expenditure for the financial years ending 31 December 2014 and 31 December 2015.

Total employee
expenditure

Distributions
to shareholders

£74.1m
£65.1m
14%

£13.3m
£11.5m
15%

2015
2014
% change

TSR performance

450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

26/03/10

26/03/11

26/03/12

26/03/13

26/03/14

16/03/15

14/03/16

— EMIS Group total shareholder return (since IPO)
— FTSE AIM All Share total shareholder return (rebased)

The graph above compares the value of £100 invested in EMIS Group plc shares, including re-invested dividends, with the FTSE AIM 
Index since the 26 March 2010, which is the date of admission to trading on AIM. This index was selected because it is considered to 
be the most appropriate against which the total shareholder return of the Group should be measured. 

Directors’ interests

The beneficial interests of the Directors in the ordinary shares of the Company as at 31 December 2015 were as follows:

Director

Chris Spencer
Peter Southby
Mike O’Leary
Robin Taylor
Andy McKeon
Kevin Boyd

Ordinary shares
at 31 December
2015

Ordinary shares
at 31 December
2014

285,369
9,878
1,000
1,800
1,626
2,500

285,369
4,878
1,000
1,800
1,626
1,500

Implementation of Remuneration Policy for 2016

Base salary

The base salaries for both Executive Directors were subject to independent review in 2015. The letter from the Chairman of the 
remuneration committee on page 47 includes further detail.

Executive Director

Chris Spencer
Peter Southby

Base salary from
1 January 2015 to
31 December 2015

Base salary from
1 January 2016 to
31 December 2016

£312,000
£225,000

£318,240
£250,000

Percentage
increase

2%
11%

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

59

Governance

Directors’ remuneration report continued
Annual report on remuneration continued

Implementation of Remuneration Policy for 2016 continued

Pension

For 2016, Executive Directors will receive a contribution of 15% of salary.

Annual bonus

The performance measure for the annual bonus for Executive Directors will be unchanged for the 2016 financial year and will 
operate on the same basis as in 2015. The bonus outcome will be based on an adjusted profit measure. Adjusted profit means 
operating profit as adjusted for exceptional costs, any M&A activity in the year, the effect of capitalisation and amortisation 
of development costs and the amortisation of acquired intangible assets.

Proposed targets have been set to be challenging relative to the 2016 business plan. As specific targets are deemed to be 
commercially sensitive they will be published retrospectively in the annual report on remuneration for 2016.

Bonus payments will continue to be delivered in cash and from 1 January 2016 are subject to the following additional conditions:

•  Clawback where the remuneration committee becomes aware of any information on the basis of which it is reasonable for them 
to form the opinion that either inaccurate figures had been reported on which the bonus target had been calculated and based 
or bonus outcome calculated; or there had been misconduct; or there had been any action or omission that had resulted in 
damage to the Group’s reputation.

•  The requirement to invest 40% of any net bonus payment in shares of the company until the minimum shareholding level 

relevant to the Executive Director is met. 

LTIP

For 2016, Executive Directors will be eligible to receive awards of performance shares up to 100% of salary, based on EPS growth 
over three years and vesting three years from the date of grant. Details of any awards in the 2016 financial year will be provided 
in next year’s annual report on remuneration. 

From 1 January 2016, Executive Directors are subject to the requirement to use vested shares to add to their beneficial shareholding 
until the minimum shareholding level relevant to the Executive Director is met.

SIP

Executive Directors will be able to continue to participate in the SIP on the same basis as in the 2015 financial year.

Chairman and Non-executive Director fees

Fee levels are subject to annual review and an independent review by Kepler Associates was undertaken in 2015. Following 
consideration of the results which looked at appropriate FTSE comparators and the level of engagement of the Chairman and 
other Non-executive Directors, the Board determined that the following changes be made for 2016:

•  Chairman – Increase in base fee from £80k to £85k. Committee chair fee of £5k to be paid in addition to base fee.

•  Non-executive Directors – Increase in base fee from £35k to £40k plus an additional £5k committee chair fee where relevant.

60

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Directors’ report

The Directors present their report and 
audited consolidated financial statements 
for the year ended 31 December 2015. 

This report contains certain statutory, 
regulatory and other information and 
incorporates, by reference to, certain 
disclosures included earlier in 
this document.

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”), 
Rx Systems Limited (“Rx Systems”), 
Ascribe Limited (“Ascribe”), Digital 
Healthcare Systems Limited (“Digital 
Healthcare”), Medical Imaging UK Limited 
(“Medical Imaging”) and MIDRSS Limited.

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, community pharmacists, 
secondary and specialist care providers 
and other clinicians, together with the 
hosting, provision of specialist ICT 

infrastructure and support of computer 
systems for healthcare professionals and 
other related users. Further information 
on the principal activities of the Group is 
described on pages 2 and 3.

Dividends

The Directors remain committed to 
increasing the dividend. Subject to 
shareholder approval at the Annual 
General Meeting (AGM) on 26 April 2016, 
the Board proposes paying a final 
dividend of 10.6p per ordinary share 
(2014: 9.2p) on 29 April 2016 to 
shareholders on the register at the close 
of business on 1 April 2016. This would 
make a total dividend of 21.2p per 
ordinary share for 2015 (2014: 18.4p).

Directors and their interests

The Directors of the Company who served during 
the year ended 31 December 2015 are as follows: 

•  Michael (Mike) O’Leary 

Chairman

•  Christopher (Chris) Spencer 

Chief Executive Officer

•  Peter Southby 

Chief Financial Officer

•  Robin Taylor 

Senior Non-executive Director

•  Kevin Boyd 

Non-executive Director

•  Andrew (Andy) McKeon (Resigned 2 April 2015. 

Re-appointed 30 September 2015) 
Non-executive Director

•  Sean Riddell (Resigned 30 January 2015) 

Non-executive Director

Directors are subject to annual re-election and details of 
Directors’ remuneration, service agreements and interests 
in the share capital of the Company are given in the Annual 
report on remuneration on pages 56 to 60.

P34

Biographical details of the Directors 
are given on pages 34 and 35

P49

Directors’ remuneration report 
on pages 49 to 60

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.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

61

Governance

Directors’ report continued

Substantial interests in shares

As at 15 March 2016, the Company had been notified of the following substantial interests in 3% or more in its ordinary shares:

Number of
shares

% issued
capital 

7,546,097
6,862,186
3,075,203
3,056,217
2,903,251
2,900,000
2,291,659
2,131,085
1,936,815
1,898,368

11.92
10.84
4.86
4.83
4.59
4.58
3.62
3.37
3.06
3.00

The rules of the LTIP and CSOP set out 
the consequences in the event of a 
change of control. Further information is 
given in the remuneration committee 
report on page 55.

Directors’ indemnities

As permitted by the Articles of 
Association, in accordance with Section 
234 of the Companies Act 2006, 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 and officers in 
respect of any fraudulent or dishonest 
actions. No such indemnities have been 
granted. The Company maintains 
Directors’ and officers’ liabilities insurance 
to provide appropriate cover for any legal 
action brought against its Directors.

Liontrust Investment Partners LLP
Standard Life Investments
NFU Mutual Insurance Society Ltd
Wasatch Advisors
Phillip Woodrow
Primestone Capital
Octopus Investments Nominees Ltd
GVQ Investment Management
BlackRock, Inc
Invesco Limited

Dividends continued

Research and development

A technical matter has arisen in relation 
to the final dividends paid in respect of 
the 2012, 2013 and 2014 financial years 
and the interim dividends paid in respect 
of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 financial years. 
It has been brought to the Directors’ 
attention that, although the Company had 
sufficient distributable profits to pay 
these dividends, the interim accounts 
showing the requisite level of 
distributable profits that were prepared 
prior to such payments had inadvertently 
not been filed at Companies House, as 
required by the Companies Act 2006 
(the “Act”). As a result, the dividends 
were paid in technical breach of the Act. 
However, given that the Company had 
sufficient distributable profits to make the 
payment had the interim accounts been 
filed at the appropriate time, the Directors 
believe that neither shareholders nor 
creditors would have been prejudiced. 
The Company nevertheless wishes 
to address the matter by way of a 
ratification resolution to be approved 
by shareholders at the AGM. As a result 
of their interest in the subject matter, the 
Directors who are also shareholders will 
not vote on this resolution.

Research and development expenditure 
in the year amounted to £19.6m (2014: 
£16.8m) of which £6.2m (2014: £6.5m) 
was capitalised.

Share capital

As at 15 March 2016 and 31 December 
2015, the Company had 63,311,396 
(31 December 2014: 63,311,396) ordinary 
shares of one pence 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). 
As at 31 December 2015 the EBT held 
540,034 (2014: 636,832) ordinary shares 
of one pence 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 26 to the 
financial statements.

62

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Employees

Going concern

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, 
ethnicity, race, religion and belief, sexual 
orientation, disability, marital status and 
civil partnership. All employees are 
treated fairly and equally.

The Group encourages the involvement 
of its employees and they are made aware 
of significant matters through regular 
updates from the Chief Executive Officer 
and divisional managing directors, roadshow 
presentations, management meetings, 
informal briefings, team meetings and the 
Company’s intranet, magazine, discussion 
forums and website. Employee involvement 
is an essential element in the development 
of the business.

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.

Political donations 

No political donations were made in 2015 
(2014: £nil).

The Group’s activities and an outline of 
the developments taking place in relation 
to its products, services and marketplace 
are considered in the Strategic report on 
pages 1 to 33. The revenue, trading results 
and cash flows are explained in the 
financial review on pages 26 to 29.

Note 3 to the financial statements sets 
out the Group’s financial risks and the 
management of capital risks.

The Group has a term loan repayable in 
quarterly instalments of £1m until June 
2017. However, it is profitable and expects 
to continue to be so. It has significant 
cash resources, a high and continuing 
level of recurring revenue and also 
expects to continue to have high cash 
conversion for the foreseeable future.

The Directors considered the going 
concern assumption and after careful 
enquiry and review of available financial 
information, including projections of 
profitability and cash flows for the two 
years to 31 December 2017, the Directors 
believe that the Group 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 26 April 2016, 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.emisgroupplc.com/investors.

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, KPMG LLP, has indicated 
its willingness to be re-appointed and, 
in accordance with Section 489 of the 
Companies Act 2006, a resolution that 
they be re-appointed will be proposed 
at the AGM.

Corporate governance

The Company’s statement on corporate 
governance can be found in the corporate 
governance report on pages 36 to 42 
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

Caroline Farbridge
Company Secretary
15 March 2016

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

63

Governance

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities
In respect of the Annual report, Strategic report, Directors’ report and the financial statements

The Directors are responsible for keeping 
adequate accounting records that are 
sufficient to show and explain the parent 
company’s transactions and disclose 
with reasonable accuracy at any time the 
financial position of the parent company 
and enable them to ensure that its 
financial statements comply with the 
Companies Act 2006. They have general 
responsibility for taking such steps as are 
reasonably open to them to safeguard the 
assets of the Group and to prevent and 
detect fraud and other irregularities. 

The Directors are responsible for the 
maintenance and integrity of the corporate 
and financial information included on the 
Company’s website. Legislation in the UK 
governing the preparation and dissemination 
of financial statements may differ from 
legislation in other jurisdictions.

The Directors are responsible for 
preparing the annual report, Strategic 
report and the Directors’ report and the 
financial statements in accordance with 
applicable law and regulations. 

Company law requires the Directors to 
prepare Group and parent company 
financial statements for each financial 
year. As required by the AIM Rules of the 
London Stock Exchange they are required 
to prepare the Group financial statements 
in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by 
the EU and applicable law and have 
elected to prepare the parent company 
financial statements on the same basis. 

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 parent company and 
of their profit or loss for that period. In 
preparing each of the Group and parent 
company financial statements, the 
Directors are required to: 

•  select suitable accounting policies 
and then apply them consistently; 

•  make judgements and estimates 
that are reasonable and prudent; 

•  state whether they have been prepared 
in accordance with IFRSs as adopted 
by the EU subject to any material 
departures disclosed and explained 
in the financial statements; and 

•  prepare the financial statements 

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

64

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

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

We have audited the financial statements of EMIS Group plc for the year ended 31 December 2015 set out on pages 66 to 97. 
The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the EU 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 explained more fully in the Directors’ Responsibilities Statement set out on page 64, 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 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 Financial Reporting Council’s 
website at www.frc.org.uk/auditscopeukprivate. 

Opinion on financial statements 

In our opinion: 

•  the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and of the parent company’s affairs 

as at 31 December 2015 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 EU; 

•  the parent company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU 

and as applied in accordance with the provisions of 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 strategic report and 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.

Johnathan Pass (Senior Statutory Auditor) 
for and on behalf of KPMG LLP, Statutory Auditor 
Chartered Accountants  
1 Sovereign Square 
Sovereign Street 
Leeds LS1 4DA
15 March 2016

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

65

Financial statements

Group statement of comprehensive income
for the year ended 31 December 2015

Revenue
Costs:
Changes in inventories
Cost of goods and services
Staff costs
Other operating expenses1
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Amortisation of intangible assets

Adjusted operating profit
Development costs capitalised
Amortisation of intangible assets2
Impairment of goodwill
Impairment of investment
Release of contingent acquisition consideration

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 

Other comprehensive income
Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss
Currency translation differences

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income for the year

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

Total comprehensive income for the year

Earnings per share attributable to equity holders of the parent

Basic
Diluted

Notes

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

5

155,898

137,639

(344)
(12,611)
(67,465)
(45,873)
(4,665)
(13,510)

36,553
6,183
(12,806)
(16,183)
(2,317)
—

11,430
28
(477)
(388)
339

10,932
(5,558)

119
(12,901)
(58,571)
(21,799)
(4,005)
(11,361)

32,639
6,523
(10,914)
—
—
873

29,121
10
(553)
(55)
17

28,540
(5,719)

5,374

22,821

(111)

(111)

(86)

(86)

5,263

22,735

4,432
831

5,263

Pence

7.2
7.2

22,058
677

22,735

Pence

35.3
35.2

9

14

9, 14
14
13
17
31

6
7
8
17
17

10

11
11

1 

 Including contract asset depreciation of £3,175,000 (2014: £3,761,000), goodwill impairment of £16,183,000 (2014: £nil), investment impairment of £2,317,000 
(2014: £nil) and release of contingent acquisition consideration of £nil (2014: £873,000).

2  Excluding amortisation of computer software used internally of £704,000 (2014: £447,000).

The notes on pages 70 to 97 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

66

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Group and parent company balance sheets
as at 31 December 2015

Group

Company

Notes

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

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

Current assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Amounts owed by subsidiary companies

Total assets
LIABILITIES
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables
Current tax liabilities
Bank loans 
Bank overdraft
Amounts owed to subsidiary companies
Contingent acquisition consideration
Deferred income

Non-current liabilities
Bank loans
Deferred tax liability
Contingent acquisition consideration

Total liabilities
NET ASSETS

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

Equity attributable to owners of the parent
Non-controlling interests
TOTAL EQUITY

13
14
15
16
17

18
19
30

21

22, 30
22, 30

22, 30
24

25
25

54,388
66,995
22,032
—
131

68,577
70,820
24,313
—
2,705

—
1,801
—
70,380
—

143,546

166,415

72,181

1,206
33,893
4,701
—
39,800
183,346

(17,777)
(3,183)
(5,402)
(6,457)
—
(3,000)
(28,000)
(63,819)

(1,951)
(10,530)
—
(12,481)
(76,300)
107,046

633
51,045
(2,929)
52,848
2,000
103,597
3,449
107,046

1,550
28,732
6,939

—
3,506
—
— 44,960
48,466
120,647

37,221
203,636

(20,782)
(1,049)
(1,246)
—
(12,902)
(5,402)
—
(7,756)
— (28,678)
(3,000)
—
(45,885)

(2,750)
(29,985)
(67,665)

(5,854)
(12,709)
(2,500)
(21,063)
(88,728)
114,908

633
51,045
(3,718)
60,109
2,111
110,180
4,728
114,908

(1,951)
—
—
(1,951)
(47,836)
72,811

633
51,045
—
18,914
2,219
72,811
—
72,811

—
784
—
82,370
—

83,154

—
4,273
—
50,118
54,391
137,545

(357)
(163)
(12,902)
(5,202)
(48,852)
(2,750)
—
(70,226)

(5,854)
—
(2,500)
(8,354)
(78,580)
58,965

633
51,045
—
5,068
2,219
58,965
—
58,965

The notes on pages 70 to 97 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

The financial statements on pages 66 to 97 were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 15 March 2016 
and are signed on its behalf by:

Chris Spencer 
Chief Executive Officer 

Peter Southby
Chief Financial Officer

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

67

 
 
Financial statements

Group and parent company statements of cash flows
for the year ended 31 December 2015

Group

Company

Cash generated from operations
Finance costs
Finance income
Tax paid

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
Development costs capitalised 
Purchase of software
(Decrease)/increase in loan from subsidiary company
Dividends received
Business combinations

Net cash (used in)/generated from investing activities

Cash flows from financing activities
Decrease/(increase) in loan to Employee Benefit Trust
Transactions in own shares held in trust
Bank loan repayments 
Bank loans drawn down
Non-controlling interest dividend paid
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

Notes

29

2015
£’000

42,711
(450)
28
(6,896)

2014
£’000

44,856
(455)
10
(5,247)

2015
£’000

(996)
(443)
—
197

35,393

39,164

(1,242)

(6,145)
644
(6,183)
(1,730)
—
—
(5,231)

(6,873)
291
(6,523)
(1,765)

—
—
—
(1,017)
— (14,332)
— 42,890
(5,715)

(10,250)

2014
£’000

(1,001)
(456)
—
580

(877)

—
—
—
(784)
6,638
15,000
(9,000)

(18,645)

(25,120)

21,826

11,854

—
589
(11,500)
—

(2,110) 
(12,422)

—
(1,480)
(7,000)
8,000
—
(10,792)

784
—
(11,500)
—
—
(12,422)

(1,829)
—
(7,000)
8,000
—
(10,792)

(25,443)

(11,272)

(23,138)

(11,621)

(8,695)
6,939

30

(1,756)

2,772
4,167

6,939

(2,554)
(5,202)

(644)
(4,558)

(7,756)

(5,202)

Group cash and cash equivalents of £1,756,000 comprise cash of £4,701,000 and a bank overdraft of £6,457,000.

The notes on pages 70 to 97 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

68

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Group and parent company statements of changes in equity
for the year ended 31 December 2015

Group

At 1 January 2014
Profit for the year
Transactions with owners 
Share acquisitions less sales
Share-based payments
Deferred tax in relation to share-based payments
Dividends paid (note 12)
Other comprehensive income
Currency translation differences

At 31 December 2014
Profit for the year
Transactions with owners 
Share acquisitions less sales
Share-based payments
Deferred tax in relation to share-based payments
Dividends paid (note 12)
Other comprehensive income
Currency translation differences

Share
capital
£’000

633
—

—
—
—
—

—

Share

Own shares
premium held in trust
£’000

£’000

51,045
—

(2,325)
—

Retained
earnings
£’000

48,522
22,144

Other
reserve
£’000

2,197
—

Non-
controlling
interest
£’000 

Total
equity
£’000

4,051
677

104,123
22,821

—
—
—
—

—

(1,393)
—
—
—

(87)
270
52
(10,792)

—

—

633
—

51,045
—

(3,718)
—

60,109
4,543

—
—
—
—

—

—
—
—
—

—

789
—
—
—

—

(200)
684
134
(12,422)

—
—
—
—

(86)

2,111
—

—
—
—
—

—
—
—
—

—

(1,480)
270
52
(10,792)

(86)

4,728
831

114,908
5,374

—
—
—
(2,110)

589
684
134
(14,532)

—

(111)

—

(111)

At 31 December 2015

633

51,045

(2,929)

52,848

2,000

3,449

107,046

Company
At 1 January 2014
Profit for the year 
Transactions with owners
Share acquisitions less sales
Share-based payments
Dividends paid (note 12)

At 31 December 2014
Profit for the year 
Transactions with owners
Share acquisitions less sales
Share-based payments
Dividends paid (note 12)

At 31 December 2015

Share
capital
£’000

633
—

—
—
—

633
—

—
—
—

Share
premium
£’000

51,045
—

—
—
—

51,045
—

Retained
earnings
£’000

466
15,211

(87)
270
(10,792)

5,068
25,784

Other
reserve
£’000

2,219
—

—
—
—

2,219
—

Total
equity
£’000

54,363
15,211

(87)
270
(10,792)

58,965
25,784

—
—
—

(200)
684
(12,422)

—
—
—

(200)
684
(12,422)

633

51,045

18,914

2,219

72,811

The notes on pages 70 to 97 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

69

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements
for the year ended 31 December 2015

1. 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.

1.1 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 Group is profitable and it is anticipated that this will continue. There is a high and continuing level of recurring revenue and high 
cash conversion is anticipated for the foreseeable future. The Group’s existing significant cash resources provide additional comfort 
that it will continue to be able to meet its bank term loan obligations of £1m per quarter.

After careful enquiry and review of available financial information, including projections of profitability and cash flows, the Directors 
believe that the Group 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.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of certain 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 2.

The financial statements are presented in sterling, which is also the functional currency of the parent company. The financial 
statements are presented in round thousands.

1.2 Parent company statement of comprehensive income

As permitted by Section 408 Companies Act 2006, the parent company has not presented its own statement of comprehensive 
income. The profit of the parent company for the year was £25,784,000 (2014: £15,211,000).

1.3 Changes in accounting policy and disclosure

a) New and amended standards adopted by the Group

The Group has adopted the following new standards and amendments for the first time. Unless otherwise stated, they have not had 
a material impact on the financial statements:

•  Annual Improvements to IFRSs – 2010-2012 Cycle.

•  Annual Improvements to IFRSs – 2011-2013 Cycle.

b) Adopted IFRS not yet applied 

The following Adopted IFRSs have been issued but have not been applied by the Group in these financial statements. Their adoption 
is not expected to have a material effect on the financial statements unless otherwise indicated:

•  Amendments to IFRS 11: Accounting for Acquisitions of Interests in Joint Operations (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2016).

•  Amendments to IAS 16 and IAS 38: Clarification of Acceptable Methods of Depreciation (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2016).

•  Amendments to IAS 27: Equity method in separate financial statements (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2016).

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EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

1. Summary of significant accounting policies continued

1.3 Changes in accounting policy and disclosure continued

b) Adopted IFRS not yet applied continued

•  Amendments to IFRS 10 and IAS 28: Sale or Contribution of Assets (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2016).

•  Annual improvement cycles 2012-2014 (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2016).

•  Amendments to IAS 1: Disclosure initiative (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2016).

•  Amendments to IAS 7: Disclosure initiative (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2017).

•  Amendments to IAS 12: Recognition of Deferred Tax Assets for Unrealised Losses (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2017).

• 

• 

• 

IFRS 9 Financial Instruments (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2018). This standard will determine a new framework for 
the measurement of financial instruments. The Group is currently considering the impact of this standard.

IFRS 15 Revenue from contracts with customers (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2018). This standard may affect the 
accounting for certain contracts and will impose greater disclosure requirements on all companies. The Group is currently 
considering the impact of this standard.

IFRS 16 Leases (mandatory for year ending 31 December 2019). The standard fundamentally changes the accounting for leases 
by lessees. It eliminates the current IAS 17 dual accounting model, which distinguishes between on-balance sheet finance leases 
and off-balance sheet operating leases and, instead, introduces a single, on-balance sheet accounting model that is similar 
to current finance lease accounting. The Group is currently considering the impact of this standard.

1.4 Basis of consolidation

The Group financial statements consolidate those of the Company and of its subsidiary undertakings drawn up to 31 December 2015. 

Subsidiaries

Subsidiaries are entities that the Company has power over, exposure or rights to variable returns and an ability to use its power to 
affect those returns. 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. Accounting policies previously applied by acquired subsidiaries are changed as 
necessary to comply with accounting policies adopted by the Group.

Intra-Group transactions, balances and unrealised gains and losses on transactions between Group companies are eliminated 
on consolidation. 

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. 

The EMIS Group plc Employee Benefit Trust is treated as a separate legal entity within the Group consolidation.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

71

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

1. Summary of significant accounting policies continued

1.4 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 relevant 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.

1.5 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. 

1.6 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 & software support and other support services is recognised on a straight line basis over 
the period of supply. Licence fees that form part of long-term software installation contracts (principally within the Secondary 
& Specialist Care segment) are spread over the implementation phase of these contracts (in line with the period over which the 
service is provided) according to the hours worked on the implementation, to best represent the period over which the vendor 
obligations are satisfied. Secondary & Specialist Care service contract revenues are recognised as delivered over the period 
of supply.

•  Revenue from hosting services, principally under the General Practitioner Systems of Choice (GPSoC) framework, is recognised 

as follows:

–  Provision of infrastructure and hardware – over the period that the service is provided, in line with the anticipated life of the 

related assets as capitalised within property, plant and equipment.

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

72

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

1. Summary of significant accounting policies continued

1.6 Revenue recognition continued

•  Revenue from hardware sales is recognised when ownership passes.

•  Revenue from training, consultancy and system implementations 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. 
For long-term software installation contracts (principally within the Secondary & Specialist Care segment), revenue is recognised 
according to the stage of completion.

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

Where Group recognition criteria have been met but no invoice to the customer has been raised at the reporting date, 
revenue is recognised and included as an accrued income, within trade and other receivables.

1.7 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.

Any impairment is recognised immediately in the statement of comprehensive income 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 developed for external sale

Expenditure on software development is capitalised as an intangible asset if it meets the recognition criteria set out in IAS 38, 
‘Intangible Assets’, requiring it to be probable that the expenditure will generate future economic benefits and can be measured 
reliably. To meet these criteria, it is necessary to be able to demonstrate, among other things, the technical feasibility of completing 
the intangible asset so that it will be available for use or sale. 

The costs incurred in the development stage for substantially new or enhanced products are assessed against the IAS 38 criteria 
and considered for recognition as an asset when they meet those criteria. These costs are generally incurred in developing the 
detailed product design, software configuration and interfaces, in the coding of software, in its integration with hardware, and 
in its testing.

Development expenditure directed towards incremental improvements in existing products, remedial work and other maintenance 
activity does not qualify for recognition as an intangible asset.

Where a product is technically feasible, production and sales are intended, a market exists, and sufficient resources are 
available to complete the project, development costs (only direct employee costs) are capitalised and subsequently amortised 
on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life, reflecting the pattern of the expected future economic benefits. Where these 
conditions are not met, development expenditure is recognised as an expense in the period in which it is incurred.

Capitalised development expenditure is stated at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses. The estimated useful 
life for development expenditure is between four and eight years, based on the anticipated conditions in the market from which 
economic benefits are expected to be derived for each unique software product.

Development expenditure is capitalised in accordance with the criteria of IAS 38, and for this reason is not regarded as a realised loss.

(c) Other intangible assets 

Intangible assets acquired in a business combination are initially recognised at their fair value. Other intangible assets are initially 
recognised at cost. Intangible assets are subsequently stated at this value less accumulated amortisation and any accumulated 
impairment losses.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

73

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

1. Summary of significant accounting policies continued

1.7 Intangible assets continued

(c) Other intangible assets continued

Amortisation is recognised in the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life 
of the asset, as shown below:

Computer software used internally    

Computer software acquired on business combinations 

Customer relationships  

1.8 Property, plant and equipment 

4–6 years

4–8 years

10–15 years

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 residual value on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives at the following annual rates:

Freehold property  

Leasehold property 

Computer equipment 

Fixtures, fittings and equipment 

Motor vehicles 

2%

Life of lease

25%–33% 

25%

20%

1.9 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. 

1.10 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.

74

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

1. Summary of significant accounting policies continued

1.10 Taxation continued

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.

1.11 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.

1.12 Share-based payments 

The Group operates equity-settled share schemes for certain employees. The cost of equity-settled share-based payments 
is measured at fair value at the date of grant, excluding the effect of non-market based vesting conditions. The cost is recognised 
in the Group statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the vesting period with the corresponding amount 
credited to equity, based on an estimate of the number of shares that will eventually vest. The estimate of the level of vesting is 
reviewed annually and the charge is adjusted accordingly in respect of non-market based vesting conditions. The fair values are 
measured using the Black Scholes and Monte Carlo models.

1.13 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.

1.14 Foreign currency

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated to the respective functional currencies of Group entities at the foreign exchange 
rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the balance sheet date 
are retranslated to the functional currency at the foreign exchange rate ruling at that date. Foreign exchange differences arising 
on translation are recognised in the statement of comprehensive income. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are measured 
in terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rate at the date of the transaction. Non-monetary 
assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies that are stated at fair value are retranslated to the functional currency 
at foreign exchange rates ruling at the dates the fair value was determined.

The assets and liabilities of foreign operations, including goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on consolidation, are translated 
to the Group’s presentational currency at foreign exchange rates ruling at the balance sheet date. The revenues and expenses 
of foreign operations are translated at an average rate for the year where this rate approximates to the foreign exchange rates 
ruling at the dates of the transactions. Exchange differences arising from this translation of foreign operations are taken directly 
to the translation reserve. When a foreign operation is disposed of such that control is lost, the cumulative amount in the translation 
reserve is reclassified to the statement of comprehensive income as part of the gain or loss on disposal.

1.15 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.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

75

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

1. Summary of significant accounting policies continued

1.16 Own shares held in trust

The shares in the Company held by The EMIS Group plc Employee Benefit Trust are treated as treasury shares, stated at weighted 
average cost and presented as a reduction of shareholders’ equity (see note 25). Gains and losses on transactions in the Company’s 
own shares are taken directly to equity. 

1.17 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, and bank overdrafts. 
There are no bank deposits with maturity dates of more than one month.

(b) Financial liabilities

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, where this is different 
to the initial recognition value.

Bank borrowings

Bank 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 the fair value of the consideration received.

1.18 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.

2. 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 estimates, assumptions and judgements 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 are as follows:

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Financial statements

2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements continued

Carrying amount of goodwill, intangible assets acquired, and investments

The carrying amounts of goodwill, intangible assets acquired, and investments are reviewed for impairment at least annually and 
are assessed against the net present value of projected cash flows for each cash-generating unit (CGU). Cash flows are discounted 
using an adjusted weighted average cost of capital for each CGU. Judgements are made in calculating the value in use, and ongoing 
appropriateness, of the CGUs.

Revenue recognition

The key area of judgement in respect of recognising revenue is the timing of recognition, specifically in relation to deferral 
of revenues that are invoiced and paid in advance of services being provided. 

Development costs 

The key areas of judgement are in determining whether the expenditure meets the criteria for capitalisation and the useful life 
over which this expenditure is amortised. Expenditure is only capitalised if it meets the criteria set out in IAS 38 ‘Intangible Assets’, 
details are set out in note 1.7.(b). Useful lives are based on management estimates of the period over which assets are expected 
to 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.

3. Financial risk management

3.1 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.

Exposure to financial risks is monitored by the finance team 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 by payment being received in advance for a significant proportion 
of goods and services provided.

There is some concentration of risk, as the Group trades extensively with various parties within the National Health Service. 
However, the Group 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 banks. The Group monitors the financial standing 
of any institution with which it deposits cash.

Liquidity risk

Management controls and monitors 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 notes 22 and 23.

Interest rate risk

The Company has exposure to interest rate risk in relation to its bank debt amounting of £7.4m and bank overdraft of £6.5m. 
Details of the interest rates and repayment terms are disclosed in note 22. The Group’s cash generation is sufficient to enable 
it to pay down the bank debt rapidly in the event of any significant adverse movement in interest rates.

The Group’s current assets include cash and cash equivalents at the year end amounting to £4.7m, on which interest received 
is subject to fluctuations in market rates.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

77

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

3. Financial risk management continued

3.1 Financial risk factors continued

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 other than at the point of renegotiation of these frameworks or contracts. Where these negotiations are 
material, the Group, including the Board, is fully engaged with the process in order to secure the best possible outcome.

3.2 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 appropriate 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 and a low level of indebtedness. 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.

The Group’s reserves include:

Own shares held in trust – an Employee Benefit Trust holds shares in the Company to facilitate share-based emolument payments 
and the Group’s Share Incentive Plan.

Other reserve – comprises a translation reserve of foreign exchange differences from the translation of the financial statements 
of overseas operations and other reserves related to merger reliefs taken under UK law.

4. 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.

The Group has three operating segments, all involved with the supply and support of connected healthcare software and services:

(a)  Primary & Community Care;

(b) Community Pharmacy; and

(c)  Secondary & Specialist Care.

Each operating segment is assessed by the Board based on a measure of adjusted operating profit. This measurement basis 
excludes exceptional items, 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. Group operating expenses, 
finance income and costs, cash and cash equivalents and bank loans and overdrafts are not allocated to segments, as Group and 
financing activities are not segment-specific.

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Financial statements

4. Operating segments continued

Segmental information

2015

2014

Primary & 
Community
Care
£’000

Community
Pharmacy
£’000

Secondary &
Specialist
Care
£’000

Primary & 
Community
Care
£’000

Community
Pharmacy
£’000

Secondary &
Specialist
Care
£’000

Total
£’000

Total
£’000

Segmental result
Revenue

93,860

20,013

42,025

155,898

89,708

18,386

29,545

137,639

Segmental operating profit 
as reported internally
Development costs capitalised
Amortisation of development costs
Amortisation of acquired intangible assets

29,603
3,031
(5,396)
(923)

4,248
1,017
—
(577)

4,182
2,135
(901)
(5,009)

38,033
6,183
(6,297)
(6,509)

26,450
3,978
(4,248)
(1,110)

Segmental operating profit

26,315

4,688

407

31,410

25,070

3,853
784
—
(736)

3,901

3,430
1,761
(397)
(4,423)

33,733
6,523
(4,645)
(6,269)

371

29,342

Group operating expenses
Impairment of goodwill
Impairment of investment
Release of contingent acquisition consideration

Operating profit
Net finance costs
Share of result of associate
Share of result of joint venture

Profit before taxation

Segmental assets and liabilities
Segmental assets as reported internally
Goodwill and other intangible assets

Group assets
Investment in joint venture and associates
Group cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

(1,480)
(16,183) 
(2,317) 

—

11,430
(449)
(388)
339

10,932

(1,094)
—
—
873

29,121
(543)
(55)
17

28,540

36,036
49,307

4,469
11,223

16,254
60,853

56,759
121,383

38,046
43,800

4,145
10,798

12,249
84,799

54,440
139,397

85,343

15,692

77,107

178,142

81,846

14,943

97,048

193,837

372
131
4,701

183,346

155
2,705
6,939

203,636

Segmental liabilities as reported internally

(30,739)

(7,476)

(20,011)

(58,226)

(38,101)

(6,872)

(19,230)

(64,203)

Group liabilities
Group bank loans and overdraft

Total liabilities

Other segmental information
Purchase of property, plant and equipment
Depreciation of property, plant 
and equipment
Purchase of computer software used 
internally
Amortisation of computer software used 
internally

(4,264)
(13,810)

(76,300)

(5,769)
(18,756)

(88,728)

3,409

180

2,556

6,145

5,353

6,749

137

954

7,840

7,165

1,730

687

—

17

—

—

1,730

1,765

704

430

334

168

—

17

1,186

6,873

433

7,766

—

—

1,765

447

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

79

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

4. Operating segments continued

Segmental information continued

Revenue excludes intra-Group transactions on normal commercial terms from the Primary & Community Care segment to the 
Community Pharmacy segment totalling £3,750,000 (2014: £3,692,000), from the Primary & Community Care segment to the 
Secondary & Specialist Care segment totalling £883,000 (2014: £456,000), and from the Secondary & Specialist Care segment 
to the Primary & Community Care segment totalling £33,000 (2014: £69,000).

Revenue of £112,786,000 (2014: £98,939,000) is derived from the NHS and related bodies.

Revenue of £6,942,000 (2014: £5,421,000) is derived from customers outside the United Kingdom. Non-current assets held outside 
the UK total £235,000 (2014: £21,000).

5. Revenue

Revenue is analysed as follows:

Licences
Maintenance and software support
Other support services
Training, consultancy and implementation
Hosting
Hardware

6. Operating profit

The following have been included in arriving at operating profit:
Research and development expenditure
Development expenditure capitalised
– software for external sale
– software used internally
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
– depreciation of owned assets 
Amortisation of intangible assets
– computer software used internally
– computer software developed for external sale
– arising on business combinations
Impairment of goodwill (note 13)
Impairment of investment (note 16)
Operating lease rentals
– land and buildings
– plant, equipment, and motor vehicles

2015
£’000

50,300
37,887
30,611
16,128
13,075
7,897

2014
£’000

43,850
33,438
21,568
16,918
13,968
7,897

155,898

137,639

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

19,561

16,750

(6,183)
(472) 

(6,523)
—

7,840

7,766

704
6,297
6,509
16,183
2,317

1,241
783

447
4,645
6,269
—
—

644
31

The total research and development cost shown above of £19,561,000 (2014: £16,750,000) consists of the direct salary and national 
insurance costs of relevant staff. Software development costs amounting to £6,655,000 (2014: £6,523,000) have been capitalised 
in accordance with the criteria set out in IAS 38.

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Financial statements

6. Operating profit continued

Total fees payable by the Group during the year to KPMG LLP in respect of the audit and other services provided were as follows:

Audit of these financial statements
Amounts payable to the Company’s auditor and associated companies in respect of:
– Audit of the financial statements of subsidiaries of the Company
– Tax compliance services
– Other tax advisory services
– Forensic advisory
– All other services

7. Finance income

Bank interest

8. Finance costs

Bank loan interest
Amortisation of bank loan issue costs

9. Employees

The average monthly number of people (including Directors) employed by the Group during the year was as follows:

– management and administration
– software support and development
– sales, maintenance and training
– others

2015
£’000

25

115
46
34
75
21

316

2015
£’000

28

28

2015
£’000

380
97

477

2014
£’000

25

109
42
48
—
18

242

2014
£’000

10

10

2014
£’000

455
98

553

2015
Number

2014
Number

180
913
493
277

1,863

134
878
504
95

1,611

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

81

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

9. Employees continued

Staff costs for above people:

– wages and salaries
– social security costs
– pension costs – defined contribution plans
– share incentive plan (note 26)
– share option expense (note 26)

Dealt with as follows:
– charged in Group statement of comprehensive income
– capitalised in the development of software for external sale
– capitalised in respect of computer software used internally

10. Income tax expense

Income tax:
– current year tax charge
– adjustment in respect of prior years

Total current tax

Deferred tax:
– current year 

Total deferred tax

Total tax charge in Group statement of comprehensive income

Factors affecting the tax charge for the year
Profit before taxation

Taxation at the average UK corporation tax rate of 20.25% (2014: 21.5%) 
Tax effects of:
– expenses not allowable in determining taxable profit 
– income not taxable in determining taxable profit
– adjustment in respect of prior years
– other permanent items
– joint venture/associate reported net of tax
– deferred tax rate change

Tax charge for the year 

2015
£’000

63,977
6,620
2,402
437
684

2014
£’000

57,105
5,833
1,828
58
270

74,120

65,094

67,465
6,183
472

58,571
6,523
—

74,120

65,094

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

7,943
—

7,943

6,002
(225)

5,777

(2,385)

(2,385)

(58)

(58)

5,558

5,719

10,932

28,540

2,214

6,136

3,724
—
—
2
—
(382)

5,558

61
(188)
(225)
(73)
8
—

5,719

The main rate of UK corporation tax reduced from 21% to 20% on 1 April 2015 and will reduce to 19% from 1 April 2017, and to 18% 
from 1 April 2020. The impact of this on the deferred tax balances of the Group has been included in the current year tax charge.

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Financial statements

11. 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
Impairment of goodwill
Impairment of investment
Release of contingent acquisition consideration 
Development costs capitalised
Amortisation of development costs and acquired intangible assets
Tax and non-controlling interest effect of above items

Adjusted earnings attributable to equity holders

Weighted average number of ordinary shares

Total shares in issue
Shares held by Employee Benefit Trust

For basic EPS calculations
Effect of potentially dilutive share options

For diluted EPS calculations

Earnings per share

Basic
Adjusted
Basic diluted
Adjusted diluted

12. Dividends

Final dividend for the year to 31 December 2013 of 8.0p
Interim dividend for the year to 31 December 2014 of 9.2p
Final dividend for the year to 31 December 2014 of 9.2p
Interim dividend for the year to 31 December 2015 of 10.6p

2015
£’000

4,543
16,183
2,317
—
(6,183)
12,806
(1,266)

2014
£’000

22,144
—
—
(873)
(6,523)
10,914
(870)

28,400

24,792

2015
Number
’000

63,311
(576)

62,735
230

62,965

2014
Number
’000

63,311
(557)

62,754
187

62,941

2015
Pence

7.2
45.3
7.2
45.1

2015
£’000

—
—
5,771
6,651

2014
Pence

35.3
39.5
35.2
39.4

2014
£’000

5,030
5,762
—
—

12,422

10,792

A final dividend for the year to 31 December 2015 of 10.6p amounting to approximately £6,655,000 will be proposed at the 
Annual General Meeting on 26 April 2016. If approved, this dividend will be paid on 29 April 2016 to shareholders on the register 
on 1 April 2016. The dividend is not accounted for as a liability in these financial statements and will be accounted for as an 
appropriation of distributable reserves in the year to 31 December 2016. 

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

83

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

13. Goodwill

Goodwill is allocated to the Group’s cash-generating units (CGUs) as follows:

Group

Cost
At 1 January 2014
Acquisition of businesses

At 31 December 2014
Acquisition of businesses (note 31)
Reallocation of goodwill
Measurement period adjustment

At 31 December 2015

Accumulated impairment losses
At 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2014
Impairment of goodwill

At 31 December 2015

Net book value
At 31 December 2015
At 31 December 2014
At 1 January 2014

Impairment tests for goodwill

Primary &
Community
Care
£’000

15,853
—

15,853
1,967
3,473
—

Community
Pharmacy
£’000

Secondary
Care
£’000

Specialist
Care
£’000

Total
Group
£’000

6,756
—

6,756
—
—
—

34,185
3,205

37,390
—
(3,473)
—

2,470
6,108

8,578
—
—
27

59,264
9,313

68,577
1,967
—
27

21,293

6,756

33,917

8,605

70,571

—
—

—

—
—

—

—
(16,183)

(16,183)

—
—

—

—
(16,183)

(16,183)

21,293
15,853
15,853

6,756
6,756
6,756

17,734
37,390
34,185

8,605
8,578
2,470

54,388
68,577
59,264

Each allocation is tested annually for impairment and, to confirm whether an impairment of the goodwill is necessary, management 
has compared the carrying value to the value in use.

The value in use for each allocation of the existing goodwill has been calculated using internal Group budgets for the year ending  
31 December 2016 to forecast pre-tax cash flows from each CGU (with the key budget assumptions being in relation to revenue 
growth). These cash flows have then been extrapolated for a further four years assuming average annual growth rates of 3.5% for 
all CGUs (2014: 3.5%) until 31 December 2020 and then 1% for all CGUs in perpetuity (2014: 1%). The pre-tax cash flows have been 
discounted back to 31 December 2015 using a discount rate of 9.1% in relation to Primary & Community Care (2014: 9.1%), and 10.1% 
for all other CGUs (2014: 10.1%). 

As a result of this exercise a £16,183,000 impairment of goodwill within the Secondary Care CGU has been recognised, reflecting 
the fact that the business has not yet delivered the financial returns expected when it joined the Group in 2013. The recoverable 
amount of the Secondary Care CGU assessed under the value in use method is £48,757,000. The exercise has confirmed that there 
has been no impairment in any other CGU. 

Sensitivity analysis has been performed on the key assumptions which indicated that, with the exception of the Secondary Care 
CGU, no reasonably possible change to key assumptions would cause an impairment. An impairment would not be recognised 
outside of the Secondary Care CGU if annual growth rates, and growth into perpetuity were reduced to zero, or if discount rates 
were increased to 18%. 

A 1% increase in the Secondary Care CGU discount rate would reduce the value in use by £4,891,000, and a 1% reduction in both 
the annual growth rate and the perpetuity growth rate would reduce the value in use by £4,376,000.

Management has determined the discount rates for each CGU by considering the specific risks relating to the relevant segment. 
Growth rates beyond the budget period are determined based on a prudent assessment of long term growth rates.

Reallocation of goodwill

During the year there has been a reallocation of goodwill from the Secondary Care CGU to the Primary & Community Care CGU 
reflecting the transfer of the ePEX mental health solution between these CGUs. Goodwill of £3,473,000 attributable to the ePEX 
solution has been transferred.

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Financial statements

14. Other intangible assets

Group

Cost
At 1 January 2014
Additions
Acquisition of businesses

At 31 December 2014
Additions
Acquisition of businesses (note 31)

At 31 December 2015

Accumulated amortisation and impairment
At 1 January 2014
Charged in year

At 31 December 2014
Charged in year

At 31 December 2015

Net book value
At 31 December 2015
At 31 December 2014
At 1 January 2014

Computer
software
used
internally
£’000

Computer
software
developed for
external sale
£’000

Computer
software
acquired on
business
combinations
£’000

Customer
relationships
£’000

Total
£’000

1,045
1,765
—

2,810
1,730
—

22,137
6,523
—

28,660
6,183
—

34,124
—
1,093

35,217
—
844

29,517
—
5,596

35,113
—
928

86,823
8,288
6,689

101,800
7,913
1,772

4,540

34,843

36,061

36,041

111,485

218
447

665
704

2,655
4,645

7,300
6,297

9,258
3,744

13,002
3,469

7,488
2,525

10,013
3,040

19,619
11,361

30,980
13,510

1,369

13,597

16,471

13,053

44,490

3,171
2,145
827

21,246
21,360
19,482

19,590
22,215
24,866

22,988
25,100
22,029

66,995
70,820
67,204

The accounting policy for intangible assets is set out in note 1.7. The remaining average amortisation period for software developed 
for external sale is three years (2014: four years). At 31 December 2015 software acquired on business combinations had a 
remaining amortisation period of six years for both Ascribe and Digital Healthcare, and four years for Indigo 4 Systems (part of 
the Secondary Care CGU). The amortisation period for software acquired during the year with PinBellCom Group Limited (part 
of the Primary & Community Care CGU) is five years. Customer relationships have a remaining amortisation period of eight years 
(2014: nine years) for Primary & Community Care, five years (2014: six years) for Community Pharmacy, eight years for both Ascribe 
and Digital Healthcare, and nine years for both Indigo 4 Systems and Medical Imaging. The amortisation period for customer 
relationships acquired during the year with PinBellCom Group Limited is ten years.

Company intangible assets comprise computer software developed for external sale with a cost of £1,801,000 (2014: £784,000, 
2013: £nil), and accumulated amortisation of £nil (2014: £nil, 2013: £nil). No amortisation has been charged to date as the asset 
is not yet ready for use.

Reallocation of other intangible assets

During the year there has been a reallocation of computer software acquired on business combinations and customer relationships 
from the Secondary Care CGU to the Primary & Community Care CGU reflecting the transfer of the ePEX mental health solution 
between these CGUs. Computer software acquired on business combinations with a cost of £2,165,000 and a net book value 
of £1,545,000 and customer relationships with a cost of £908,000 and a net book value of £700,000 attributable to the ePEX 
solution have been transferred.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

85

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

15. Property, plant and equipment

Group

Cost
At 1 January 2014
Additions
Acquisition of businesses
Disposals

At 31 December 2014
Additions
Acquisition of businesses (note 31)
Disposals
Exchange differences

At 31 December 2015

Accumulated depreciation and impairment
At 1 January 2014
Charged in year
On disposals

At 31 December 2014
Charged in year
On disposals

At 31 December 2015

Net book value
At 31 December 2015
At 31 December 2014
At 1 January 2014

Land and
buildings
£’000

Computer
equipment
£’000

Fixtures.
fittings and
equipment
£’000

8,536
1,140
22
—

9,698
1,715
—
(186)
—

26,924
3,980
136
(3)

31,037
2,916
11
(111)
3

2,447
650
455
—

3,552
1,376
—
(27)
—

Motor
vehicles
£’000

5,088
1,103
146
(1,043)

5,294
138
—
(1,893)
—

Total
£’000

42,995
6,873
759
(1,046)

49,581
6,145
11
(2,217)
3

11,227

33,856

4,901

3,539

53,523

775
299
—

1,074
266
(116)

14,497
5,860
—

20,357
5,998
(16)

1,127
405
—

1,532
517
(8)

1,986
1,202
(883)

2,305
1,059
(1,477)

18,385
7,766
(883)

25,268
7,840
(1,617)

1,224

26,339

2,041

1,887

31,491

10,003
8,624
7,761

7,517
10,680
12,427

2,860
2,020
1,320

1,652
2,989
3,102

22,032
24,313
24,610

Included within property, plant and equipment are contract assets allocated to the data centre hosting services contract (see note 
1.6 for further details) with an original cost of £18,795,000 (2014: £18,317,000) and accumulated depreciation of £16,826,000 
(2014: £13,651,000). Depreciation of £3,175,000 (2014: £3,761,000) has been included in other operating expenses in the year. 
The net book value of these assets amounts to £1,969,000 (2014: £4,666,000). 

16. Investments in subsidiaries

Company

As at 1 January 2014
Acquisition of businesses

As at 31 December 2014
Acquisition of businesses (note 31)
Investment in subsidiary undertaking
Capital contribution
Impairment

As at 31 December 2015

£’000

70,370
12,000

82,370
3,464
1
1,748
(17,203)

70,380

On 10 August 2015 EMIS Health India Private Limited was incorporated. 90% of the share capital was acquired by the Company at a 
cost of £1,000, with the remaining share capital acquired by Egton Medical Information Systems Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary 
of the Company.

86

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

16. Investments in subsidiaries continued

During the year the Company received a dividend in kind from Ascribe Group Limited in relation to the intangible assets associated 
with the ePEX mental health solution, with a fair value of £1,748,000. Following this, the Company made a capital contribution to 
Egton Medical Information Systems Limited with a fair value of £1,748,000, reflecting the transfer of the ePEX solution, this has resulted 
in an increase in the cost of investment in Egton Medical information Systems Limited of £1,748,000.

The Company’s investment in Ascribe Group Limited was impaired by £1,748,000 following the transactions described above. A further 
impairment of £15,455,000 was also taken in the Company in relation to the investment in Ascribe Group Limited, resulting in a total 
impairment in the year of £17,203,000 writing down the cost of investment to £nil, following a review of future cash flows against the 
carrying value of the investment. 

The undertakings whose results or financial position are consolidated within the Group financial statements at 31 December 2015 
are as follows:

21C.IT Limited^
Arkive Computing Limiited^
ASC Computer Software (NZ) Limited
ASC Computer Software Limited (Malaysia)^
ASC Computer Software PTY Limited
Ascribe Group Limited
Ascribe Holdings Limited
Ascribe Limited
Ascribe Limited (Kenya)
Barwick Systems Limited^
CBD-E Limited
Digital Healthcare Inc.
Digital Healthcare Limited
Egton Medical Information Systems Limited
EMIS Health India Private limited
EMIS Professional Publishing Limited^
Exeter Systems Limited^
Exeter Systems User Group Limited^
Footman Walker Associates Limited^
HE Information Systems Limited^
Healthcare Gateway Limited
Indigo 4 Systems Limited
Medical Imaging UK Limited
MIDRSS Limited
Orion Imaging Limited
Park Systems Limited^
Pathway Trust Limited^
Pharmacy 2U Limited
PinBellCom Group Limited
PinBellCom Limited
Protechnic Computers Limited^
Protechnic Exeter Limited^
Rx Systems Limited
Scorpio Information Systems Limited^
Scroll Bidco Limited

*  Held directly by EMIS Group plc.
^  Dormant.

Country of
incorporation

England
England
New Zealand
Malaysia
Australia
England
England
England
Kenya
England
England
USA
England
England
India
England
England
England
England
England
England
England
England
Republic of Ireland
England
England
England
England
England
England
England
England
England
England
England

% of issued
ordinary
 shares held

100
100
100
100
100
100*
100
100
100
100
100
100
100*
100*
100*
100
100
100
100
100
50
100
100*
100*
100
100
100
17.8
100
100
100
100
78.9*
100
100

The above subsidiary undertakings are engaged in providing software and support services to the healthcare market, with the exception 
of Ascribe Group Limited, Scroll Bidco Limited, Ascribe Holdings Limited and PinBellCom Group Limited which are all holding companies.
Subsequent to the year-end there was a reduction in the % of issued ordinary shares held in Pharmacy 2U Limited to 14.8%.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

87

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

17. Investment in joint venture and associate

Associate

Group

At 1 January
Share of result for year
Impairment

At 31 December

2015
£’000

2,705
(388)
(2,317)

—

2014
£’000

2,760
(55)
—

2,705

The results above relate to Pharmacy 2U Limited (P2U), an unlisted company incorporated in the UK. Following a fundraising round 
in which the Group did not participate, the Group’s ownership and voting interest at 31 December 2015 was 17.8% (2014: 20%). 
The principal activity of P2U is the operation of an internet mail order pharmacy.

Following a difficult trading year for P2U, the carrying value of the investment has been tested for impairment in line with the 
Group’s accounting policies. As a result of this exercise a full impairment of the investment was recognised.

Aggregate amounts relating to P2U are as follows:

Revenues
Loss before taxation
Loss after taxation

Attributable to EMIS Group plc
Attributable to P2U’s other shareholders

Non-current assets
Current assets
Current liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Net assets

Attributable to EMIS Group plc
Attributable to P2U’s other shareholders

Group’s interest in net assets at beginning of year
Total comprehensive income attributable to the Group
Gain on dilution of shareholding

Group’s interest in net assets of investee at end of year
Adjustment in respect of prior years
Goodwill
Gain on dilution of shareholding not recognised
Impairment of investment

Carrying amount of interest in investee at end of year

2015
£’000

18,118
(2,293)
(2,111)

(395)
(1,716)

5,369
2,445
(4,661)
(463)
2,690

478
2,212

566
(395)
307

478
72
2,074
(307)
(2,317)

—

2014
£’000

17,286
(612)
(598)

(120)
(478)

3,246
3,760
(3,604)
(569)
2,833

566
2,267

686
(120)
—

566
65
2,074
—
—

2,705

Adjustments in respect of prior years relate to the use of estimates in the calculation of the associate’s results arising from 
the differing year ends of the Group and P2U.

88

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

17. Investment in joint venture and associate continued

Associate continued

During the year a gain on dilution of £307,000 arose from the reduction in the Group’s ownership. However, following the decision 
to fully impair the investment in P2U, the gain has not been recognised within the Group’s financial statements.

Joint venture

Healthcare Gateway Limited (HGL) is a joint venture formed 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 the ordinary share capital of HGL, acquired on formation for £1. The venture has to date been 
funded by loans from each joint venture party and at 31 December 2015 the Group was owed £155,000 (2014: £181,000).

Aggregate amounts relating to HGL are as follows:

Revenues

Profit before taxation
Profit after taxation

Current assets
Current liabilities

Net assets/(liabilities)

Group’s interest in net assets of investee at beginning of year
Share of total comprehensive income

Group’s interest in net assets of investee at end of year

2015
£’000

1,648

678
532

1,512
(1,406)

106

(208)
339

131

2014
£’000

822

42
33

571
(995)

(424)

(225)
17

(208)

In the prior year, the Group’s interest in net assets of the investee was offset against amounts owing from the investee in the Group 
balance sheet.

18. Inventories

Group

Finished goods 

19. Trade and other receivables

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

2015
£’000

1,206

2014
£’000

1,550

Group

Company

2015
£’000

15,385
18,508
—
—

33,893

2014
£’000

13,389
15,343
—
—

28,732

2015
£’000

—
369
3,137
—

2014
£’000

—
151
4,122
—

3,506

4,273

The loan to the Employee Benefit Trust is non-interest bearing and is repayable on demand.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

89

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

20. Credit quality of financial assets

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.

Trade and other receivables

Reporting date balances fall within the following categories:

UK governmental health bodies
Community pharmacies and associated wholesalers
Other third party receivables

Group

Company

2015
£’000

15,385
4,701

2014
£’000

13,389
6,939

20,086

20,328

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

—
—

—

—
—

—

Group

2015
£’000

7,124
3,933
4,328

2014
£’000

5,670
2,956
4,763

15,385

13,389

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

2015

£’000

10,482
2,263
2,640

15,385

2014

£’000

7,865
1,952
3,572

13,389

The Group carries a provision for impairment of trade receivables of £348,000 (2014: £392,000).

Cash at bank

The Group’s cash is held with a number of different banks. The Moody’s long-term credit ratings of those banks and the respective 
balances held are as follows:

A1
A2
A3
Aa2
Aa3
Baa1
Baa2
Baa3
Ba1
Caa2

90

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Group

2015
£’000

44
1,024
658
475
232
411
—
71
—
1,786

4,701

2014
£’000

198
628
1,093
502
100
798
1,091
—
84
2,445

6,939

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Group

Company

2015
£’000

5,081
7,084
5,612

2014
£’000

7,496
7,273
6,013

2015
£’000

562
487
—

17,777

20,782

1,049

2014
£’000

22
335
—

357

Group

Company

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

1,951

1,951

6,457
5,402

11,859

5,854

5,854

—
12,902

12,902

1,951

1,951

7,756
5,402

13,158

5,854

5,854

5,202
12,902

18,104

21. Trade and other payables

Trade payables
Accrued expenses
Other tax and social security

22. Borrowings

Non-current
Unsecured bank loans

Current
Bank overdraft
Unsecured bank loans

Bank loans comprise £6,000,000 of term loan, £1,500,000 drawn down under a revolving credit facility and £145,000 of unamortised 
arrangement fees. All bank loans bear an interest rate of 1.50% above LIBOR.

The term loan is repayable by equal quarterly instalments of £1,000,000, with a final maturity date of 30 June 2017. The revolving 
credit facility and overdraft facility are committed until 30 June 2017. At 31 December 2015, £4,500,000 of the revolving credit 
facility was undrawn, and there was £3,543,000 of unused overdraft.

The financial covenants in place for these facilities are: EBITA interest cover; net debt to adjusted EBITDA senior leverage; and cash 
flow to senior debt cash flow cover. All covenants were comfortably met during the year and are projected to be so in the coming year.

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

23. Liquidity risk

The following are the contractual maturities of the Group’s borrowings, including estimated interest payments:

At 31 December 2015
Trade and other payables due within one year
External borrowings
Contingent acquisition consideration
Bank overdraft

At 31 December 2014
Trade and other payables due within one year
External borrowings
Contingent acquisition consideration

Carrying
amount
£’000

Contractual
cash flow
£’000

Less than
1 year
£’000

1–2 years
£’000

2–3 years
£’000

(17,777)
(7,353)
(3,000)
(6,457)

(17,777)
(7,610)
(3,000)
(6,457)

(17,777)
(5,594)
(3,000)
(6,457)

—
(2,016)
—
—

(34,587) (34,844)

(32,828)

(2,016)

—
—
—
—

—

(20,782)
(18,756)
(5,250)

(20,782)
(19,304)
(5,250)

(20,782)
(13,194)
(2,750)

—
(4,094)
(2,500)

—
(2,016)
—

(44,788)

(45,336)

(36,726)

(6,594)

(2,016)

Contingent consideration is measured at fair value, with fair values measured using level three inputs.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

91

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

24. Deferred tax

Group

At 1 January 2014
Credited to statement of comprehensive income
Credited to equity
Acquisition of businesses

At 31 December 2014
Credited to statement of comprehensive income
Credited to equity
Acquisition of businesses
Exchange differences

At 31 December 2015

Property,
plant and
equipment
£’000

(74)
596
—
—

522
504
—
—
—

Intangible
assets
£’000

(13,123)
878
—
(1,338)

(13,583)
1,867
—
(338)
—

Other
temporary
differences
£’000

1,716
(1,416)
52
—

352
14
134
—
(2)

Total
£’000

(11,481)
58
52
(1,338)

(12,709)
2,385
134
(338)
(2)

1,026

(12,054)

498

(10,530)

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

25. Share capital and share premium

Company and Group

At 31 December 2014 and 31 December 2015

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

(12,509)
1,979

(14,072)
1,363

(10,530)

(12,709)

Ordinary shares of 1p each

Number

£’000

Share
premium
£’000

63,311,396

633

51,045

All issued shares are fully paid. At 31 December 2015 the EMIS Group plc Employee Benefit Trust held 540,034 shares in the 
Company (2014: 636,832 shares).

During the year the Employee Benefit Trust purchased 80,548 shares, representing 0.1% of the issued share capital of the Company, 
in relation to the exercise of employee share options.

During the year the Employee Benefit Trust disposed of 177,346 shares, representing 0.3% of the issued share capital of the 
Company, for total consideration of £1,656,000.

The maximum number of shares held by the Employee Benefit Trust during the year was 636,832, representing 1.0% of the issued 
share capital of the Company.

92

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

26. Share-based payments

At 31 December 2015 outstanding awards to subscribe for ordinary shares of 1p each in the Company, granted in accordance 
with the rules of the EMIS Group share option schemes and the EMIS Group LTIP, were as follows:

Date of grant

2011 Share Option Plan
11 October 2011
1 October 2012
2 May 2013
18 October 2013
15 October 2014
28 April 2015

At
1 January
2014

62,436 
39,669 
5,476 
99,060 
—
—

Granted

Lapsed

Exercised

—
—
—
—
54,918
—

(11,352)
(5,843)
(1,369)
(9,906)
(1,356)
—

(28,380)
—
—
—
—
—

At
1 January
2015

22,704
33,826
4,107
89,154
53,562
—

Granted

Lapsed

Exercised

At
31 December
2015

—
—
—
—
—
47,437

— (16,082)
(21,406)
—
(444)
(56)
—

(2,460)
—
(13,335)
(3,478)
(1,423)

6,622
9,960
4,107
75,375
50,028
46,014

206,641 

54,918

(29,826)

(28,380) 203,353

47,437

(20,696)

(37,988)

192,106

Weighted average exercise price

649p

737p

645p

528p

690p

901p

705p

690p

741p

Unapproved Option Scheme
11 October 2011
1 October 2012
18 October 2013

12,298 
59,500 
138,000 

209,798 

Weighted average exercise price

693p

—
(8,514)
(7,000)
—
— (17,000)

(3,784)
—
52,500
—
— 121,000

—

—

(32,514)

(3,784)

173,500

656p

528p

703p

—
—
—

—

—

—
—
— (45,264)
—

—
7,236
— 121,000

— (45,264)

128,236

—

812p

665p

EMIS Group LTIP
29 June 2012
2 May 2013
16 January 2014
1 May 2014
28 April 2015

400,000 
50,000 
 — 
 — 
 — 

— (400,000)
—
—
—
49,019
(21,950)
314,350
 — 
 — 

450,000  363,369

(421,950)

Weighted average exercise price

565p

nil

519p

—
—
— 50,000
49,019
—
— 292,400
—

—
—
—
—
 —  266,554

—
—
—
(22,714)
(16,380)

—
—
(27,714)
22,286
—
49,019
— 269,686
— 250,174

—

—

391,419

266,554

(39,094)

(27,714)

591,165

91p

nil

nil

710p

27p

The number of vested options which had not been exercised at 31 December 2015 was 23,818 (2014: 22,704). The weighted-average 
share price at the date of exercise for share options exercised in 2015 was £9.18 (2014: £8.05).

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 under the 2011 Share Option Plan, the Unapproved Option Scheme and the 2012 and 2013 LTIP schemes, 
and at nil cost under the 2014 and 2015 LTIP schemes. Performance conditions apply to the 2014 and 2015 awards under the 2011 
Share Option Plan, the 2012 and 2013 awards under the Unapproved Option Scheme and the EMIS Group LTIP.

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.

The key assumptions used in the valuations are shown below. The fair values of options with performance conditions have been 
determined using the Monte Carlo Model. The fair values of options without performance conditions have been determined using 
the Black Scholes Model.

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

93

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

26. Share-based payments continued

2011 Share Option Plan

Grant date
Exercise period

Share price 
at grant date
Exercise price
Expected 
volatility
Expected life 
(years)
Risk-free rate
Expected 
dividend yield
Fair value 
per option

Grant date
Exercise period

Share price at grant date
Exercise price
Expected volatility
Expected life (years)
Risk-free rate
Expected dividend yield
Fair value per option

Grant date
Exercise period

Share price at grant date
Exercise price
Expected volatility
Expected life (years)
Risk-free rate
Expected dividend yield
Fair value per option

11 October 2011
October 2014 –
October 2016
528p

1 October 2012
October 2015 –
October 2017
812p

2 May 2013
May 2016 –
May 2018
730p

18 October 2013
October 2016 –
October 2018
656p

15 October 2014
October 2017 –
October 2019
737p

28 April 2015
May 2018 –
May 2019
901p

528p
36%

3

2.75%
2.35%

109p

812p
30%

3

1.00%
1.64%

153p

730p
35%

3

1.40%
2.20%

157p

656p
35%

3

1.40%
2.20%

141p

737p
35%

3

2.37%
2.33%

164p

901p
26%

3

2.37%
2.03%

152p

Unapproved Option Scheme

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

18 October 2013
July 2016 –
 October 2018
656p
656p
35%
3
1.40%
2.20%
89p

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

LTIP

16 January 2014
January 2017

1 May 2014
May 2017

28 April 2015
May 2018

630p
0p
35%
3
2.37%
2.5%
584p

635p
0p
35%
3
2.37%
2.5%
589p

908p
0p
26%
3
2.37%
2.03%
854p

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

2 May 2013
July 2015 –
July 2017
710p
710p
30%
3
1.00%
1.90%
177p

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 with at least one year’s 
service. Those joining contribute a maximum of £1,800 a year, or 10% of salary, whichever is lower, which is used to acquire shares 
in the Company at market price from the EMIS Group plc Employee Benefit Trust, which holds shares in the Company to satisfy 
Share Incentive Plan and other employee share scheme requirements.

For every three shares acquired by an employee the Company adds one free “matching” share. The matching shares, together with 
any free shares allocated to members under the scheme during the year, had a value of £437,000 (2014: £58,000).

94

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

 
 
 
Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

27. 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 one and five years
– due after five years
Plant, machinery and motor vehicles
– due within one year
– due between one and five years
– due after five years

28. Capital commitments

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

1,584
4,296
3,618

767
1,488
—

11,753

599
732
732

36
61
8

1,436

At 31 December 2015 the Group had capital commitments in respect of computer equipment amounting to £1,732,000 (2014: £102,000). 

29. Cash generated from operations

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

Operating profit/(loss) 
Adjustment for non-cash items:
Amortisation of intangible assets
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment
Impairment of goodwill
Impairment of investment
Release of contingent acquisition consideration
Profit on disposal of property, plant and equipment
Share-based payments

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

Cash generated from operations 

Group

Company

2015
£’000

10,932
(28)
477
388
(339)

2014
£’000

2015
£’000

28,540
(10)
553
55
(17)

(19,214)
—
541
—
—

11,430

29,121

(18,673)

13,510
7,840
16,183
2,317
—
(44)
684

11,361
7,766
—
—
(873)
(128)
270

—
—
—
17,203
—
—
—

2014
£’000

70
(838)
553
—
—

(215)

—
—
—
—
(873)
—
37

51,920

47,517

(1,470)

(1,051)

344
(3,945)
(3,246)
(2,362)

(119)
(6,912)
2,360
2,010

—
(218)
692
—

—
(135)
185
—

42,711

44,856

(996)

(1,001)

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

95

Financial statements

Notes to the financial statements continued
for the year ended 31 December 2015

30. Change in net debt

Group

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

Net debt

31. Business combinations

2014
£’000

Cash flow
£’000

6,939
—
(12,902)
(5,854)

(2,238)
(6,457)
7,500
4,000

(11,817)

2,805

Finance
costs
£’000

—
—
—
(97)

(97)

2015
£’000

4,701
(6,457)
(5,402)
(1,951)

(9,109)

On 13 July 2015 the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of PinBellCom Group Limited, a leading supplier of administration and 
compliance software to both the primary and the secondary care markets. The acquisition is in line with the Group’s strategy of 
providing connected healthcare IT for patients and those involved in their care.

The provisional fair values of the net assets acquired, consideration paid and goodwill arising on the transaction are shown in the 
table below:

Group

Goodwill
Intangible assets acquired:
– computer software
– customer relationships
Property, plant and equipment
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Trade and other payables
Deferred income
Deferred tax

Total net assets
Consideration:
Cash consideration

Total consideration
Cash and cash equivalent balances acquired

Net cash cost of acquisition paid in year

£’000

1,967

844
928
11
260
484
(315)
(377)
(338)

3,464

3,464

3,464
(484)

2,980

Goodwill relates principally to the experienced staff within the business.

Provisional fair values of assets and liabilities represent the best estimate of the fair values at the date of acquisition. As permitted 
by IFRS 3 (Revised) ‘Business Combinations’, these provisional amounts can be amended for a period of up to 12 months following 
acquisition if subsequent information becomes available which changes the estimates of fair values at the date of acquisition.

Since acquisition, the contribution of the acquired business to Group revenue and Group adjusted operating profit has been 
£650,000 and £276,000 respectively. Had the acquisition occurred on 1 January 2015, the revenue and adjusted operating profit 
for the year would have been £1,312,000 and £513,000 respectively.

In relation to the acquisition, costs of £40,000 have been expensed in the statement of comprehensive income.

During the year the accounting for the acquisition of the Medical Imaging business (acquired 22 December 2014) was finalised. 
This resulted in a reduction of £27,000 in the fair value of the net assets acquired, with a corresponding increase to goodwill.

In 2014 £873,000 of excess contingent consideration provision was released in relation to the acquisition of Ascribe Group Limited.

96

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

32. Pension commitments

Pension contributions of £2,402,000 (2014: £1,828,000) represent contributions paid on behalf of employees by the Group 
to various defined contribution schemes.

33. Related party transactions

Key management compensation

Key management includes Executive and Non-executive Directors and members of the Group Executive Board. 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

2015
£’000

3,095
243

3,338

2015
£’000

758
81

839

Retirement benefits are accruing to two (2014: two) Directors under defined contribution personal pension schemes.

Highest paid Director 

Aggregate emoluments
Pension costs – defined contribution plans

Other related party transactions

Transactions between the Group and:

Associate – Pharmacy 2U Limited 
Sales of goods and services in year
Joint venture – Healthcare Gateway Limited
Sales of goods and services in year
Amounts owed by related party at year end
Key management personnel
Sale of motor vehicles at market value

Transactions between Company and subsidiaries

The Company enters into transactions with its subsidiary undertakings in respect of internal funding and the provision of certain 
services which are procured by the Company. Such services are recharged based on the utilisation by the subsidiary undertaking. 
The amounts outstanding from subsidiary undertakings to the Company at 31 December 2015 totalled £44,960,000 (2014: £50,118,000). 
Amounts owed by the Company at 31 December 2015 totalled £28,678,000 (2014: £48,852,000).

The Company and certain subsidiary undertakings have entered into cross guarantees over bank loans and overdrafts to the 
Company. The total value of such borrowings at 31 December 2015 was £15,109,000 (2014: £23,958,000).

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

97

2014
£’000

3,364
206

3,570

2014
£’000

962
75

1,037

2014
£’000

469
45

514

2015
£’000

340
47

387

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

67

598
155

13

34

467
181

9

Shareholder information

Internet

Payment of dividends

The Group operates a website which can be found at 
www.emisgroupplc.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.emisgroupplc.com/investors. 
The maintenance and integrity of the website is the responsibility 
of the Directors. The auditor does not consider these matters.

Shareholders may find it more convenient to make 
arrangements to have dividends paid directly 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 Asset Services, 
our registrar, whose contact details appear on this page.

Registrar

Share dealing services

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 Asset Services, 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. 

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.

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.moneyadviceservice.org.uk.

You can find out more information about investment scams, how 
to protect yourself and report any suspicious telephone calls to 
the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) by visiting their website 
(www.fca.org.uk) or contacting them on 0800 111 6768.

Share price information

The latest information on the share price is available at 
www.emisgroupplc.com/investors.

98

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Strategic report

Governance

Financial statements

Directors and advisers

Directors

Executive
Chris Spencer – Chief Executive Officer 

Peter Southby – Chief Financial Officer

Non-executive
Mike O’Leary – Chairman 

Robin Taylor – Senior Non-executive Director

Kevin Boyd – Non-executive Director

Andy McKeon – Non-executive Director 
(resigned on 2 April 2015, re-appointed on 30 September 2015)

Company Secretary
Caroline Farbridge

Company number

06553923 (England and Wales)

Registered Office

Rawdon House 
Green Lane 
Yeadon 
Leeds LS19 7BY

Auditor

KPMG LLP
1 Sovereign Square 
Sovereign Street 
Leeds LS1 4DA

Nominated adviser and broker

Numis Securities Limited 
The London Stock Exchange Building 
10 Paternoster Square 
London EC4M 7LT

Registrars

Capita Asset Services
The Registry 
34 Beckenham Road 
Beckenham BR3 4TU

Financial PR

MHP Communications
60 Great Portland Street 
London W1W 7RT

Legal advisers to the Company

Pinsent Masons LLP
1 Park Row 
Leeds LS1 5AB

Schofield Sweeney LLP
Church Bank 
Bradford 
BD1 4DY

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

99

Five year Group financial summary

Revenue

Adjusted operating profit1

Profit before tax

Earnings per share – basic
Earnings per share – adjusted1

Dividends paid to Company’s shareholders
Dividends per ordinary share

Total equity

Cash generated from operations2
Net (debt)/cash

Average number of employees

2015
£’000

2014
£’000

2013
£’000

2012
£’000

2011
£’000

155,898

137,639

105,542

86,333

73,238

36,553

10,932

7.2p
45.3p

13,306
21.2p

32,639

26,065

22,820

20,769

28,540

24,635

24,059

21,435

35.3p
39.5p

11,533
18.4p

32.6p
34.0p

10,056
16.0p

32.5p
30.8p

8,237
14.2p

25.4p
27.7p

7,248
12.4p

107,046

114,908

104,123

64,065

54,092

36,528
(9,109)

1,863

38,333
(11,817)

32,627
(13,491)

27,402
7,711

27,083
8,026

1,611

1,356

1,116

898

1 

 Excludes impairment charges, release of contingent acquisition consideration, capitalisation and amortisation of development costs and amortisation of acquired 
intangibles. EPS calculations also adjust for the related tax and non-controlling interest impact.

2  Stated after deduction of capitalised development costs.

100

EMIS Group plc Annual report and accounts 2015

Design Portfolio is committed to planting 
trees for every corporate communications 
project, in association with Trees for Cities.

 
EMIS Group plc

Registered Office 
Rawdon House 
Green Lane 
Yeadon 
Leeds LS19 7BY

Tel: 0113 380 3000 
www.emisgroupplc.com

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