NHS North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative (NOE CPC) today launches the new Facilities and Office Solutions category for NHS Supply Chain.
As the new category Management Service provider (CMSP) for Facilities and Office Solutions, NOE CPC will build on its previous five years’ success as the Hotel Services category provider for NHS Supply Chain.
On the day of the 75th Birthday of the NHS the new contract gets underway, CMSP Director Kevin Chidlow reflects on the previous NHS Supply Chain: Hotel Services contract, being retained as a key partner for delivery with NHS Supply Chain, and the role and opportunities for NHS procurement in the future.
What’s new about NHS Supply Chain: Facilities and Office Solutions?
“Tower 11 Hotel Services and Tower 9 Office Solutions have come together to form Facilities and Office Solutions so it has a far broader scope. It also means a bigger team and we are delighted to welcome our new colleagues from Crown Commercial Service (CCS) who have joined us from Tower 9 bringing expertise and enthusiasm to this new contract.
“The polymer category is moving to the NHS Supply Chain central team, which includes a large proportion of PPE such as aprons, clinical waste bags, and body bags, which were in huge demand during the pandemic. I was incredibly proud of the work we did during the pandemic working with NHS Supply Chain and the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure the supply of quality products at an appropriate price. The NHS suppliers we dealt with at that time were fantastic, they increased capacity, opened new factories, and never let us down with supply. I would like to say a big thank you to them for their support at such a critical time. I'm sad to lose that category because of the relationships we built but I am confident that the changes we are making will enhance our readiness for future pandemics if required as it moves to a different team within NHS Supply Chain.
“This contract brings in new categories, office supplies, furniture, and print management. We already manage healthcare furniture and are looking forward to seeking areas of synergy to develop opportunities using our combined knowledge and relationships. There are some areas of duplication between office supplies and our catering equipment category, so we have the opportunity to address that and streamline and improve processes enhancing the service delivery to our customers.
“Achievement of the wider NHS net zero objectives will be a key driver in our delivery, and they are incorporated into the new contract. We have developed our organisation to ensure we have resource dedicated to social value and sustainability key to the greener NHS journey.
“There will be increased concentration on value-based procurement and there are opportunities for us to accelerate that. Sustainability and value are often linked, there are projects we are working on involving chemicals that will deliver significant value as well as having a hugely positive impact on the environment. In our National Healthcare Uniforms project the focus has been on sourcing sustainable materials committing to the better cotton initiative and using 100% recycled polyester. Procurement has the opportunity to develop a key leadership role across the NHS in this area.”
How do you feel about the bidding process and the opportunity the award brings?
“We are enormously pleased to continue to provide services to NHS Supply Chain.
“It was a robust process, it was long and challenging (as it should be) and it was a team effort from NOE CPC to submit a quality bid. We are now one of only two outsourced providers, alongside Foodbuy, and we are all proud that we have been entrusted once again to be a key delivery partner.
“There are new service delivery requirements and challenges that come with the increased scope of the contract, and we will learn and evolve with that. We won't simply continue to do what we have done for the last five years, we are enthused and prepared to do something new and adapt our delivery for the new contract duration.
“Being part of the NHS is integral to our delivery and applying our shared values to the objectives. We are an NHS organisation which means we are in the unique position of providing services to NHS Supply Chain but we're also a customer as well. It gives us that insight and understanding of the whole process, we recognise the challenges they face such as supply chain resilience, innovation, sustainability, and the work required to support and meet those challenges over the next five years.
“The new contract does emphasise performance, but it also enables us to think more broadly of the objectives and creates opportunities for collaborative working across the partnership.”
How do you see NOE CPC’s role as a key delivery partner and as part of the Target Operating Model (TOM)?
“We see ourselves as a huge contributor to making it work. We recognise that NHS Supply Chain is evolving the TOM and we welcome being part of that process, connecting and creating value through our partnership. NHS Supply Chain endeavours to create a seamless, resilient, sustainable supply chain, whether outsourced or in-house, and we are appreciative of that. We know they are investing in infrastructure and excellence in systems management and product assurance.
“The operating model is designed to be collaborative and accommodate how we all work together. Our relationship is constructive and supportive, we trust each other with belief in the skills and knowledge that each partner brings.
“Cost pressures, inflation, complex markets, and geopolitical challenges are still there. We will have to work hard to be responsive and find new ways to address and navigate these challenges. We are all on the journey to Net Zero and a greener NHS and procurement can be at the forefront of that. The new procurement bill due in 2024 is an opportunity to evolve the way we purchase. We need to establish how we will maximise the advantages and freedoms the new bill will give us in terms of sustainability and resilience. We are thinking about that as a CMSP.
“The future cannot be inward looking. We are optimistic to try and identify opportunities across government and the public sector to leverage spend of the public purse. Many of our products are not specific to healthcare so there is an opportunity to work closely with Crown Commercial Services and other organisations to create efficiencies and opportunities across public sector procurement. There are lots of challenges, but these can be opportunities if we’re willing to step up and take it.”
The new NHS Supply Chain: Facilities and Office Solutions contract is live from 5th July 2023. For further information please visit: www.supplychain.nhs.uk. For more information about NOE CPC please visit: www.noecpc.nhs.uk.
Date: 5 July