NHS Suffolk and Serco

Suffolk

On 13 July, NHS Suffolk formally signed the contract with Serco, which will lead to the transfer of Suffolk Community Healthcare in October. Following an open procurement, NHS Suffolk announced, on 22 March, that Serco has been selected as the preferred bidder to provide the range of services to 600,000 patients in the county.

The company have been pleased to support NHS Suffolk through this divestment process, and as it prepares for transition.

New era for county’s community health services

An NHS contract for community services was signed on Friday (13 July). Community health services are currently provided by Suffolk Community Healthcare (SCH), part of NHS Suffolk, and are expected to formally transfer to Serco by the autumn. Between now and that time the process for transferring staff and services will take place.

Supporting NHS Suffolk with its mobilisation

NHS Suffolk announced, on 22 March, that Serco has been selected as the preferred bidder to provide a range of community health services to 600,000 patients in county. Services are currently provided by Suffolk Community Healthcare (SCH), the provider arm of the PCT, and will transfer by the autumn.

The company have been pleased to support NHS Suffolk through this divestment process, and are delighted to have been asked to provide mobilisation support, as it prepares for transition.

NHS Suffolk Announces Preferred Bidder

Finance

On 22 March, NHS Suffolk announced that Serco has been selected as the preferred bidder to provide a range of community health services to 600,000 patients in county. Services are currently provided by Suffolk Community Healthcare (SCH), the provider arm of the PCT, and will transfer by the autumn.

Making the announcement, Dr Paul Watson, chief executive of NHS Suffolk, said: “We have been determined to find the very best organisation to manage these community services in the future; to provide benefit and opportunity to our patients and staff. Serco has been carefully selected and has provided company with a detailed proposal, giving rigorous evidence of its experience as a service provider and its vision and innovative plans for further improving our community services”.

Following the launch of the OJEU notice in May 2011, 17 organisations submitted pre-qualification questionnaires, and nine were subsequently shortlisted and invited to tender by the deadline of 6 January this year.

The tenders for the five available Lots came from the NHS and independent sector, and Serco submitted an innovative proposal with a range of partners including South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) and Bedford Community Dentistry.

The company have been pleased to support NHS Suffolk through this divestment process, and they look forward to hearing more about its mobilisation plans, as preparations are made for transition.

Rigorous ITT Completed With NHS Suffolk’s Divestment

NHS Suffolk’s divestment of its community services continues, with their support, and a revised timeline is soon to be issued to bidders, staff and stakeholders. The original timeline has changed as extra time was needed so the important, complex data relating to pensions obligations could be fully and properly compiled.

In the meantime, rigorous evaluation of the Invitation to Tender (ITT) workstream submissions has taken place, alongside evaluation of financial information. Suffolk Project Board to Bidder Board interviews have been taking place over the first days of February, and a consolidation meeting is scheduled for 16 February, to pull together and review all the relevant outcomes.

NHS Suffolk’s board meets on 7 March where it is hoped that recommendations for preferred bidder/s will receive approval.

Finance Deadline for Suffolk Submissions

Finance

Bidders had until 6 January to make their financial submissions; part of the Invitation to Tender (ITT) phase of NHS Suffolk’s divestment of Suffolk Community Healthcare (SCH).

The original timeline was extended because the process to firmly establish pension obligations has been taking longer than projected. This analysis is essential because independent sector organisations, should they be successful, would need to provide SCH staff with an approved pension scheme, broadly comparable with that already offered under NHS terms and conditions. The company continue to provide NHS Suffolk with their every support.

Plenty of Progress With NHS Suffolk

The company are currently in the middle of evaluating all the bidders’ ITT (invitation to tender) responses. The evaluation team includes a wide range of clinical, financial, workforce, IT and estates experts to ensure rigorous assessment of the bidders’ final submissions.

Bidders will be having Board to Board interviews early next year with selected Project Board members, so they can articulate, face to face, their proposals for Suffolk Community Healthcare. It also gives NHS Suffolk the opportunity to ensure they are happy with the proposals, giving them confidence in the future.

NHS Luton & NHS Bedfordshire Community Services Divestment

Finance

In July 2010, the two Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in Luton and Bedfordshire embarked on a joint project to find new NHS organisations to take over the running of community health services in these areas from April 2011.  This process, known as divestment, is part of the national Transforming Community Services programme and has been happening across the country. 

NHS Luton and NHS Bedfordshire worked in partnership with the Strategic Projects Team to choose the best organisations to take over the management of Bedfordshire Community Health Services (BCHS) and Luton Community Services (LCS) in time for the Department of Health’s deadline.