PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(20 November 2024)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is satisfied that the decision by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust to outsource staff at Colchester hospital meets the requirements that (a) social value is mandatory within contract design and that (b) public bodies carry out a public interest test when considering procurement options, in the context of the Make Work Pay programme.

Asked by:
Pam Cox (Labour)

Following established procurement guidance, the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that a 10% Social Value criteria, covering social value, enhanced sustainability and environmental outcomes, was included in the specification for the market testing exercise for potential external suppliers to deliver ‘Soft’ Facilities Management (FM) services across its sites.

Pursuant to the Government’s public interest test, National Health Service trusts are not obliged to accept any bids submitted unless they clearly demonstrate value for money and deliver against the aims and objectives of the business cases. Following consideration of a final Full Business Case, the trust announced on 9 December 2024 that the Board has decided to award a contract to an external supplier for the future delivery of ‘Soft’ FM services across all its sites. The Government expects the trust to share its assessment of how the contract meets the test with local stakeholders.

The Government expects the trust to ensure that any such outsourced services are delivered in a way that improves quality, ensures greater stability and longer-term investment in the workforce; and delivers better value for money as part of the broader commitments on procurement, as set out in the ‘Make Work Pay’ programme.

Answered by:
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1 January 1970