The new ProCure21+ framework, which officially commences on 1 October, and under which work can start on projects within six weeks, will save the NHS over £200 million in procurement costs, and help upgrade hospitals more quickly, Health Minister Simon Burns has said.
Set to “streamline and simplify” the process for NHS Trusts when procuring a construction company for hospital refurbishments or new builds, it will also, the DH says, “usher in a more transparent system, where detailed data on performance outcomes will be provided by each company and published online”. Six companies have been approved, meaning NHS Trusts will not need to go through the complex European Union procurement process. These are: Balfour Beatty Group, Healthcare Partnership Solutions, Integrated Health Projects, Interserve Project Services, Kier Regional, and Willmott Dixon Holdings. The existing ProCure21 framework has so far delivered successful projects with a value of almost £2 billion. Simon Burns said: “The new system will cut bureaucratic waste and allow the NHS to reinvest savings directly into services for patients. Hospital refurbishments will be quicker and more cost-effective, ensuring patients receive their treatment in a clean, safe, and efficient environment – as they would expect.”
