NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has launched a tender process for a £20m panel to cover a wide portfolio of legal work. The framework, which is split into ten lots, is due to be finalised in August this year.
During the last review in 2013, the panel was increased from 16 to 22 firms, with Capsticks, Ward Hadaway and Hill Dickinson among the firms who will have to retender.
The tender document, which was issued last week, states that the aim of the framework is to ‘cover the vast legal spectrum and meet the current demand and needs of NHS SBS member trusts.’
The estimated £20m legal spend pales in comparison to the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) panel that was announced in February this year, where the total legal spend amounted to £544m.
For the NHSLA panel, firms are able to pitch for three sub-panels; clinical, non-clinical liability and regulatory, health and disciplinary (RHD).
The clinical liabilities panel is worth an estimated £480m over four years, with ten places available on the roster. The non-clinical liability panel and the RHD panels are worth £32m over the four years, and with four and ten spots respectively. Places available on the clinical and non-clinical panels have decreased since 2013, where there were 11 and six slots available respectively.
Firms currently on the clinical liability sub-panel include Clyde & Co, Kennedys, Weightmans, Capsticks and DAC Beachcroft, while in 2013 Fieldfisher was also on the regulatory panel. Hill Dickinson, Browne Jacobson and Berwin Leighton Paisner are currently on the NHSLA’s non-clinical panel.
tom.baker@legalease.co.uk
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