NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has named 28 firms to act on its new shared business services panel, with Clyde & Co and Hogan Lovells among those winning a spot.
NHS SBS is a joint venture between French IT services company Sopra Steria and the Department of Health, offering back office services such as payroll, pensions and recruitment to the NHS. Its revamped roster is slated to save the public sector around £500,000 over the next four years, after ensuring what it called ‘value-for-money’ tariffs during the selection process.
Firms are expected to provide advice across 11 lots, covering areas including: employment law, mental health law, property law, construction law, telecommunications & E-Commerce and healthcare law. New to this panel is a lot called ‘multi-disciplinary project support’, for which firms will have to display broad legal coverage for specific one-off projects.
The panel contract began on 1 June 2018 and will initially run until 31 May 2020, with an option to extend for a further two years until 31 May 2022.
Among the other firms making the cut were Addleshaw Goddard, Bird & Bird, DAC Beachcroft, Gowling WLG, Kennedys, Trowers & Hamlins, Walker Morris and Weightmans.
Phil Davies, the NHS SBS’ procurement director, commented: ‘With the legal landscape always changing, we’ve listened to our partner organisations and ensured the framework incorporates the specialisms they are most likely to need in the coming years – such as IT and data experts.’
He added: ‘Ensuring value for money without compromising on quality is a must for all public sector organisations, so we’ve also thoroughly assessed all firms on the framework, with only the most robust, with the best credentials, winning a place.’
In May last year, Clyde & Co was again a beneficiary as it made the cut for the NHS Litigation Authority’s £544m advice panel, alongside Fieldfisher and DAC Beachcroft.
The full panel line-up:
Addleshaw Goddard
Ashfords
Bevan Brittan
Bird & Bird
Blake Morgan
Womble Bond Dickinson
Brown Jacobson
Capsticks Solicitors
Clyde & Co
DAC Beachcroft
Freeths
Gowling WLG
Hempsons
Hill Dickinson
Hogan Lovells
Kennedys
Law By Design
Michelmores
Mills and Reeve
Ortolan Legal
Quigg Golden Solicitors
RadcliffesLeBrasseur
Sintons
Sharpe Pritchard
Trowers & Hamlins
Walker Morris
Ward Hadaway
Weightmans