The new Procure
21+ framework will save the NHS over £200m in procurement costs
and will help upgrade hospitals more quickly, Health Minister
Simon Burns announced today.
The new framework will streamline and simplify the process for
NHS Trusts when procuring a construction company to carry out
hospital refurbishments or new builds. It will also usher in a
more transparent system, where detailed data on performance
outcomes will be provided by each company and published online, so
that the NHS can make informed choices about the companies they
employ.
Six companies have been approved for the new system to deliver
NHS projects, meaning that NHS Trusts do not need to go through
the complex European Union procurement process.
NHS Trusts can now choose from six approved companies:
• Balfour Beatty Group Limited
• Healthcare Partnership
Solutions Ltd
• Integrated Health Projects
• Interserve
Project Services Limited
• Kier Regional Ltd
• Willmott
Dixon Holdings Ltd
This builds on the existing Procure 21 framework, which, although
voluntary, has become the most popular procurement route for NHS
capital schemes and has delivered successful projects, with a
value of almost £2 billion.
Health Minister Simon Burns said:
“The benefits of Procure 21+ are clear – a streamlined system
will mean that NHS organisations will be able to concentrate on
delivering patient care and improving outcomes.
“The new system will cut bureaucratic waste and allow the NHS to
reinvest savings directly into services for patients.
“Hospital refurbishments under this system will be quicker and
more cost effective, ensuring that patients receive their
treatment in a clean, safe and efficient environment – as they
would expect.”
Under the new framework, work can start on projects within six
weeks, saving the NHS at least six months in the pre-construction period.
The appointments will take effect when the new framework
commences on 1 October 2010 and will run for a six-year period.
Notes to Editors
1) Performance for the new framework will be measured on outcomes
across six key performance measures:
• client satisfaction with the product,
• client
satisfaction with the service,
• safety (based on incident
rates),
• problems with the scheme (based on defects),
•
whether the scheme was to budget and
• whether it was
delivered on time.
2) The new Procure 21+ framework will save the NHS over £200m
over the lifetime of the framework.
3) For media queries only, please contact the Department of
Health Newsdesk on 020 7210 5221.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk