NHS SBS information systems procurement framework up to £1.25bn
Leading NHS business support specialist, NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) is developing an NHS-wide framework for the procurement of healthcare clinical information systems with a potential value of £1.25 billion over a six-year period. NHS SBS has issued a European tender notice to gather supplier responses to the framework that has been created following close collaboration with the organisation's provider clients to identify their future requirements. The framework agreement is due to be operational at the end of this year, and will be open for any NHS trust to access. The framework is divided into six lots covering core healthcare clinical information systems; theatre clinical systems; integrated emergency care clinical systems; child health systems; maternity systems and specialist electronic prescribing clinical systems. By using the framework each NHS trust will avoid having to go through its own full tender process which can take up to 12 months and involve spending tens of thousands of pounds. Instead the trusts can localise their requirements from the framework and hold mini-competitions which can be completed in a reduced timeframe and at a much-reduced cost. Suppliers have until the 23/09/2014 to respond. They can find out more by contacting Thomas Slater, NHS SBS Assistant Director Provider Procurement on: thomas_slater@nhs.net
Pictured: An ambulance waiting outside A&E at Bedford Hospital, by Benjah-bmm27 / Wikimedia Commons.
NHS Shared Business Services: www.sbs.nhs.uk
EMIS grows community reach with London and Southern framework contracts
Healthcare information management specialist EMIS has signed two major contracts under the NHS London and Southern framework to deliver systems serving nearly half a million patients. The contracts will see community providers in North Somerset and South Gloucestershire switch to EMIS Web to help manage more than 50 services including dementia care, district nursing, health visiting, a community hospital and two minor injury units. Among other benefits, the new contracts will enable secure, two-way data sharing (with patient consent) between around 750 community staff and 52 local GP practices giving them access to vital, real-time patient information; secure records access for clinicians on the move via EMIS Mobile; electronic records for a rapid response team, including emergency care practitioners, in South Gloucestershire; and allow district nurses and therapists in North Somerset to develop electronic rehabilitation and wound care plans for patients in partnership with GPs.
EMIS: www.emis-online.com
Portsmouth Hospitals upgrades inventory management with Ingenica
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust has awarded a contract to Ingenica Solutions to upgrade and expand the trust's existing Atticus inventory management system. Ingenica provides consultancy and IT solutions in procurement, supply chain, inventory, and data management. The company says it supports the new Department of Health NHS eProcurement strategy, delivering tools that enable NHS Trusts to meet these new requirements effectively. Partnership with Ingenica has demonstrated process benefit and significant cost reductions within a number of major NHS trusts, it says.
Ingenica: www.ingenicasolutions.com
