Public Sector Procurement | September 2026

Public Sector Procurement The publication for public sector procurement professionals SEPTEMBER 2026

Government orders that public spending must back British jobs and skills in every postcode PLUS... GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT TO PRIORITISE NATIONAL SECURITY... BURTON KIA: DRIVING BUSINESS FORWARD... £557 MILLION FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO SWITCH TO CLEANER HEATING AND SAVE ON ENERGY BILLS... NHS DELIVERY AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT REVIEW...

Public Sector Procurement

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CONTENTS

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CONTENTS Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Smart Fleet Media Limited.

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Every year the government spends around £400 billion on public procurement, and for far too long this spending has been focused too narrowly on short-term requirements and upfront costs...

Every effort is made to ensure Public Sector Procurement’s contents and information are accurate.

Information is published in good faith, but no responsibility can be accepted for loss or inconvenience arising from error or omission.

Contributors must ensure that all material submitted is not in breach of copyright. While every care will be taken with material submitted, no responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage.

No part of this publication can be reproduced without the written permission of the Editor.

Published by: Office 111 1 Silk House Park Green Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 7QJ Tel: 01625 911464

Government procurement to prioritise national security

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Burton Kia: Driving Business Forward The automotive industry is changing at a remarkable pace. Electrification, changing tax structures, fleet decarbonisation and the growing demands being placed on businesses mean that choosing...

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Government orders that public spending must back British jobs and skills in every postcode Businesses bidding for government contracts - a market worth £90bn per year will be judged on their commitment to creating high-quality British jobs, tackling local skills shortages, and supporting young...

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£557 million for public buildings to switch to cleaner heating and save on energy bills Schools, pools, and hospitals will be supported to make energy efficient upgrades, and businesses with high energy use will receive funding to help cut bills and emissions..

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NHS delivery and continuous improvement review The delivery and continuous improvement (DCI) review considered how the NHS, working in partnership through integrated care systems (ICSs), delivers on its current priorities while continuously improving for the longer term...

Company Registration No 09843386

Public Sector Procurement

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Government procurement to prioritise national security Every year the government spends around £400 billion on public procurement, and for far too long this spending has been focused too narrowly on short-term requirements and upfront costs. This has left the UK exposed to global shocks, with recent events showing the fragility of global supply chains. This new guidance draws a line under that approach and works to protect the UK’s national security and build resilience in critical sectors.

Since March, the government has awarded a number of new deals to British firms including:

Through the new guidance, the Chancellor, alongside the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, highlight the power of public spending to safeguarding sovereign capability, supporting businesses, jobs, and skills across the UK, with real money going straight to communities from Farnborough to Huddersfield, and Edinburgh to Solihull. The Chancellor will also today confirm that British founded-firms have already seen a £5 billion surge in new government contracts since March, targeting highgrowth sectors central to the Industrial Strategy.

Up to 450,000 disadvantaged pupils are set to benefit from futuregeneration technology in AI tutoring from 2027. Six British organisations are among those selected and will receive £1.8 million to help build the next generation of safe and effective AI tutoring tools that will set the global standard for effective AI models. Mayoral Strategic Authorities are also playing a crucial role in the new push, such as with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Combined Authority procuring new local electric buses and steel from UK businesses.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “We have the right economic plan – using the power of public procurement to protect our national security and strengthen the UK’s economic resilience.British companies are delivering the innovation and resilience we need in a more uncertain world. This government will continue to back British businesses as we strengthen our national security and economic resilience.”

New guidance on national security and resilience The new guidance sets out the process for departments to use the national security exemption within the Procurement Act 2023 in key sectors to support the country’s national security and economic resilience.

To support this new approach, the government has appointed dedicated Sector Leads in key departments across Whitehall.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said: “From the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine driving up energy bills, recent events show why we need to protect our national security, and invest in home-grown British expertise and industry to secure our sovereign capability. For too long, governments have prioritised shortterm buying decisions that leave us vulnerable to the actions of others.

This guidance will change that. From shipbuilding in Barrow to steel in Scunthorpe, we will make national security a priority and back British businesses and jobs.”

These Leads will support Ministers and oversee upcoming procurements, so they can appropriately apply the national security exemption for contracts - supporting national security and stronger supply chains, while helping ensure the UK is better prepared in an increasingly uncertain world. Alongside this, the Treasury will be writing to accounting officers across government on the importance of protecting national security through future spending decisions. This will provide guidance on the use of the exemption to deliver value for money.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Every child deserves access to world class support with their schoolwork, regardless of where they’re from or what their parents can afford. Today we are making that a reality. These six British companies are developing world-leading AI that genuinely works in the classroom - safe, effective, and built around the needs of both pupils and teachers. Up to 450,000 disadvantaged children will benefit from this ambitious investment. This government is breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every young person the best start in life.”

Cabinet Office Minister Chris Ward said: “This government is determined to make every penny of our procurement budget work for British businesses and national security. This is another big step toward that, and to boosting growth and resilience across the country”.

Public Sector Procuremenr

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A new digital platform to support RAF pilots in flight AI fraud detection tools to help HMRC identify tax errors faster Essential road and vehicle recovery services on the strategic road network.

Both new pieces of guidance are consistent with our international trade agreements and complement the government’s work with international partners to improve the security and resilience of key sectors, ensuring that we can collectively respond to global challenges.

This includes recognising that our global trading partners and close allies will often have suppliers well-placed to help us meet our security needs.

Our approach is built on collaboration; trusted international partners and global suppliers are at the heart of our procurement strategy, bringing the innovation and resilience we need to stay secure.

The government also announced the publication of the Supply Chain Centre’s mission statement and action plan this week, setting out a new cross-government approach to securing the inputs the UK economy relies on and boosting supply chain resilience.

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Public Sector Procurement Public Sector Procurement | JUNE 2023

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Burton Kia: Driving Business Forward From an established family business to one of the region’s emerging players in commercial and fleet mobility, Burton Kia is entering an exciting new chapter The automotive industry is changing at a remarkable pace.

Electrification, changing tax structures, fleet decarbonisation and the growing demands being placed on businesses mean that choosing a vehicle is no longer simply about choosing a car or van. Increasingly, businesses want a partner who understands their operation, their drivers, their costs and, ultimately, their business.

That is where Burton Kia sees its next major opportunity. With an established reputation for customer service, strong manufacturer relationships and a management team with decades of combined automotive experience, Burton Kia has built a successful retail operation at its purpose-built Centrum Gate dealership.

But the business is no longer looking simply at the traditional showroom model. It is looking firmly towards business mobility, fleet and commercial vehicles.

A business built around people At the heart of Burton Kia’s success is its management team.

The business has developed over many years by combining the strength and independence of a family-run operation with the standards, technology and product offering of one of the world’s fastest-growing automotive manufacturers. That experience has created a culture in which relationships matter.

For private customers, that means a dealership that aims to understand what they actually need rather than simply what is on the forecourt.

For business customers, the principle is even more important.

A fleet decision can have a significant impact on a company’s finances and day-to-day operation. Vehicle choice, finance, taxation, fuel or electricity costs, downtime, maintenance, driver requirements and whole-life costs all need to be considered.

Burton Kia increasingly sees its role as helping businesses navigate those decisions. And that philosophy has led to its latest and perhaps most significant venture.

Enter the PBV Centre In 2025, Burton Kia brought in Dale Bywater as Business & Commercial Sales Manager, with a specific brief: to establish and develop the dealership’s commercial-vehicle and fleet operation and

Public Sector Procuremenr

to lead the new Burton Kia PBV Centre.

Dale brought more than 25 years’ experience to the role, spanning automotive retail, commercial vehicles, fleet sales and business development.

The timing was significant. Kia was entering the UK light-commercialvehicle market with an entirely new proposition — PBV, or Platform Beyond Vehicle.

Rather than simply producing another conventional van, Kia’s PBV strategy is designed around flexible electric vehicles that can be adapted to different businesses, applications and passenger requirements.

The first vehicle to arrive is the Kia PV5, an all-electric light commercial vehicle available in Cargo and Passenger configurations, with an expanding range of body styles and specialist conversions.

Kia launched its national PBV Centre network in 2025, creating dedicated locations specifically designed to support commercial customers. Burton Kia was selected as one of the centres serving the East Midlands.

For Burton Kia, this represented much more than adding another

NEWS vehicle to the product range. It was the opportunity to create an entirely new side of the business.

A different approach to commercial sales The philosophy behind Burton Kia’s PBV operation is straightforward: start with the business, not the vehicle.

A self-employed tradesperson has very different requirements from a ten-vehicle SME fleet. A local authority, housing association or national organisation will have different priorities again.

Range may be important. Payload may be critical. Charging infrastructure could be the deciding factor. For another business, whole-life cost, driver comfort, accessibility or vehicle uptime may be the priority.

The role of the PBV Centre is therefore not simply to sell a van. It is to understand the operation and find the appropriate solution. That consultative approach is particularly relevant as businesses consider electrification. The transition to electric commercial vehicles raises questions that many operators have never previously had to consider — from workplace charging and electricity costs to daily mileage, charging patterns and vehicle utilisation.

For an experienced commercial operator such as Bywater, that is where the real value of specialist advice comes in.

The PV5 is changing the conversation Kia’s first commercial vehicle has certainly attracted attention. The PV5 has now been awarded the prestigious 2026 International Van of the Year, voted for by a jury of commercial-vehicle journalists representing 26 countries. It is the first time Kia has won the award in the light-commercial-vehicle category.

The PV5 has also demonstrated the breadth of Kia’s PBV thinking.

Cargo, Passenger, Chassis Cab and specialist converted versions are being developed, with applications ranging from logistics and delivery to trades, passenger transport and temperature-controlled operations. Kia showcased refrigerated and tipper conversions at the 2026 Commercial Vehicle Show.

For businesses considering an electric fleet, that flexibility could prove particularly important.

But perhaps the bigger story is what the PBV operation means for Burton Kia itself.

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From commercial vehicles to fleet mobility The PBV Centre is becoming a natural extension of Burton Kia’s wider business operation.

The dealership is increasingly establishing itself as a serious player in car fleet and corporate sales, as well as commercial vehicles.

That is an important development. Many SMEs do not operate either a “car fleet” or a “van fleet” in isolation. They have a mixture of company cars, pool cars, vans, electric vehicles and specialist vehicles. A business may need a PV5 for its engineers, Sportage Hybrids for its management team and EVs for its sales representatives.

Increasingly, Burton Kia wants to be able to provide the whole package. That creates a proposition that is particularly relevant to the SME and public-sector markets, where dealing with a knowledgeable local business can offer significant advantages.

Rather than being another anonymous fleet account, customers have access to people who understand their business and can remain involved throughout the vehicle lifecycle.

A business with bigger ambitions What is happening at Burton Kia is therefore more than the arrival of an electric van. The PBV Centre represents a strategic shift.

The dealership is taking the experience, customer service and relationships that have underpinned its success in passenger-car retail and applying them to a much wider business proposition.

With Kia investing heavily in electrification, PBV technology and connected fleet solutions, the timing could hardly be better. Kia’s UK PBV network is designed to provide specialist sales, servicing and commercial support, while the manufacturer is targeting significant growth in PBV sales over the coming years.

For Burton Kia, the ambition is clear: to become a recognised business mobility partner across the East Midlands.

And with more than two decades of commercial experience now driving the operation, a dedicated PBV Centre and an increasingly comprehensive Kia product range behind it, the business is well positioned to do exactly that.

The next chapter in Burton Kia’s story is already underway. And this time, it isn’t just about selling cars. It is about helping businesses move.

BURTON KIA PBV CENTRE Dale Bywater, Business & Commercial Sales Manager • SME • Fleet • Public Sector • Commercial Vehicles 01283 248033 • dale.bywater@burtonkia.co.uk

Public Sector Procurement

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www.burtonkia.co.uk Call us on 01283 248033 Email dale.bywater@burtonkia.co.uk Nicolson Way, Burton Upon Trent, DE14 2AW Public Sector Procurement

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Government orders that public spending must back British jobs and skills in every postcode Government backs industry to create new British jobs and support local communities with new weighting in public contracts and civil society organisations who have so much to offer the public sector, but often find themselves locked out of contracts because of layers of red tape and burdensome requirements, which larger organisations know how to navigate. The rules have been simplified and the threshold raised to contracts of more than £1 million so they don’t typically apply to the work smaller firms and local social enterprises are bidding for. This will better allow both smaller businesses and civil society to showcase their innovation and the benefits they are already delivering in communities.

First Secretary of State Louise Haigh said: “Every pound of taxpayer money should be spent in a way that benefits local communities creating good jobs and giving young people the skills they need for the future.

For too long, securing government contracts has been a tick box exercise that fails to deliver the positive change that people feel in their pocket and see in the places they live.

Businesses bidding for government contracts - a market worth £90bn per year - will be judged on their commitment to creating high-quality British jobs, tackling local skills shortages, and supporting young people into apprenticeships and work placements.

The Government wants every young person to have the chance to earn or learn. New rules will double the importance of creating local benefits when the government buys goods or services - ensuring spending directly creates training, work experience, and jobs in every postcode.

Under the changes, the score for bringing benefits to the local community will be raised from 10% to 20% for contracts worth £5m or more, ensuring procurement, whether from UK or international providers, helps support communities.

The changes will also help smaller, scaling and innovative businesses

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We are doing things differently. These new rules will ensure the £90 billion that is spent each year through government contracts supports British jobs, skills and people in every postcode.”

Bidders can get extra credit for creating local jobs that pay above the legal minimum and treat workers properly, as well as helping to plug local skills gaps by offering training such as 45 days of work experience.

These changes will give young people and underrepresented groups a better chance at starting a good career.

Suppliers will be assessed on their commitment to backing British jobs, skills and opportunities, and specifically targeting support for young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), care leavers and individuals with long-term health conditions.

To ensure companies honour their pledges, for major contracts, government departments will allocate a key performance indicator and make annual progress reports available publicly. Suppliers’

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cutting waste and boosting local economies.

The announcement builds on the government’s commitment to use its £90 billion annual purchasing power as a lever for economic growth, working hand-in-hand with local and mayoral authorities to match contracts to regional priorities. In cash terms, public sector procurement from the private sector has increased by over a third in the last five years, reaching nearly £400 billion in 2024/25.

This will support our Modern Industrial Strategy to provide the certainty needed to drive long-term investment across the country, including our skills pipeline, and ensure our supply chains are more resilient and that government adopts a stance that supports good risk taking in support of innovation, rather than stifling it through our procurement processes.

Cabinet Office Minister Mark Ferguson said: “We believe that if you benefit from something you have a responsibility to give back. These changes will mean that businesses that benefit from the billions of taxpayer pounds spent by Government, will have to create more local jobs and opportunities for young people in their area. This is about using every tool we have to help people in every postcode live a better life.”

The new rules will apply to central government procurements, with implementation taking effect from 1 January 2027 following detailed technical guidance in the Autumn. Public sector procurement spending rose from £288.7 billion in 2019/20 to £394.8 billion in 2024/25.

Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey MP said: “I want every government department to be a growth department. We have made it a leading priority to back British, not just if possible but by design, so that procurement supports British jobs, British apprenticeships and British innovation. This is an active, hands-on government determined to support British businesses and make our country more resilient.”

This approach is already being reflected across government, including through the National Cloud Infrastructure Programme (NCIP), which is exploring how government can better coordinate cloud demand across the public sector and work with industry to support longterm digital capability. Through the programme, supported by the publication of the Cloud Challenge Book 2026, the government is consolidating its buying power, working with industry to help build the digital infrastructure needed for the AI era and create opportunities for young people, including those not in education, employment, or training (NEETs), to develop their digital and AI skills.

Supporting the Prime Minister’s ambition to deliver good growth and opportunity in every postcode, NCIP will in turn help bridge the digital divide, boost opportunities, and ensure the benefits of the digital economy are felt across the whole country, not just in the South East.

In line with the principle of devolution by default, local government will lead the way. The Mayor of the West Midlands is leveraging social value to develop a new, preventative approach to supporting additional young people into employment or training in the region.

Local leaders will work in partnership with central government and industry on the 3,000 Futures initiative, enabling those who know their communities best to support young people into work and training through harnessing the potential of public procurement. This builds on the region’s Youth Guarantee Trailblazer and wider work, testing innovative approaches to tackle youth inactivity in the region.

The changes come as part of a major package of reforms that will back British jobs and communities by protecting national security,

Stakeholder reactions: Craig Beaumont, Executive Director at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said: “FSB is pleased to have worked with the Government on making social value work better for small businesses.

Lifting the threshold to £1 million ought to see many more small firms winning contracts, as small businesses deliver huge intrinsic social value but they can often struggle to demonstrate this in procurement processes. This is an example of the Government and the public sector acting as a good customer, paying invoices rapidly, and helping drive economic growth through small businesses in every postcode.”

Piers Neill, Head of Policy at The Business Services Association said: “We warmly welcome this recognition of the role that service and infrastructure providers play in supporting many of the Government’s goals including growth, jobs, and value for communities in every postcode. Embedding this at the heart of central government procurement practices is a crucial step and we look forward to working with Cabinet Office colleagues as this work progresses.”

Craig Wilson, UK CEO, Sopra Steria said::”At the heart of every successful organisation and thriving economy are people. When people have the opportunity to work, learn and grow, the benefits extend far beyond the workplace to families, communities and society as a whole. That’s why we welcome the Government’s focus on creating employment opportunities through public procurement. Good jobs, skills development and pathways into work are fundamental to long-term prosperity and inclusive growth. As a major employer and long-standing partner to government, Sopra Steria is proud to support this ambition and help create opportunities that enable more people and communities to thrive.”

Anthony Kirby, Serco Group Chief Executive said: “We are proud to support the UK Government in delivering this initiative and to continue backing Britain. We employ over 30,000 people from Cornwall to Shetland, supporting essential services across every corner of our four nations. Among our team, over 4,000 are under 24, we’re recognised as the best place to work for veterans, and are the most admired employer in our sector. But we are going further, investing to create opportunities across the country with targeted

Public Sector Procurement

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employment programmes, support for NEETs, care leavers, veterans and people with lived experience of homelessness, to have fulfilling careers at Serco. We stand ready to support this ambition: delivering high-quality public services, creating skilled jobs across the UK, and helping more people access the opportunities they need to build sustainable careers.”

Stuart Togwell, CEO at Kier Group, said: “This new model is a welcome step to ensuring public procurement supports lasting benefits for people, communities and businesses across the UK. At Kier, we have long believed that what we do is about more than just the infrastructure we create. Via our regional presence, we create jobs, develop skills, strengthen local supply chains and open opportunities for those who face barriers to employment.

This new approach recognises the powerful role procurement can play in supporting British businesses to generate positive social impact alongside economic growth. It provides a clear framework for industry and Government to work together to deliver growth and opportunity, while building the skilled workforce the country needs.

Andy Milner, Chief Executive Officer, Amey said: “We welcome the Government’s focus on ensuring public procurement delivers tangible economic and community benefits. Public investment should do more than deliver services. It should create local jobs, develop skills and open opportunities for those who need them most. At Amey, we work with local authorities, customers, supply chain partners and community organisations to create pathways into employment for young people, care leavers, veterans and underrepresented groups. In 2025, we created £248m worth of social value, up from £211m the previous

Public Sector Procuremenr

year, and will continue to invest in the skills, supply chain partnerships and community programmes that help local economies grow. By aligning investment with local needs and clear social outcomes, we can maximise the impact of public spending and ensure communities across the UK benefit from economic growth and opportunity.

Andy Canniford, Chief Officer for Impact and Growth at Catch22 said: “Catch22 very much welcomes the government’s commitment to ensure that public procurement reaches further through social value - delivering local growth, addressing youth unemployment, and supporting local communities. As both a provider of employability and skills programmes through social value funding and as public sector contractor, Catch22 knows the role social value requirements play in creating local opportunities. We are also encouraged to see the government’s recognition of civil society expertise, innovation, and local partnership by a fairer process for the voluntary sector in public procurement processes. We are looking forward to working with the government on developing clear guidance that will maximise the impact of the new measures and deliver for skills, jobs and fair pay for those who need it most, including NEET young people, care leavers, and communities.”

Matthew Gordon OBE, Chief Executive at Spectra (Delivery Partner for Care Leaver Covenant) said: “Today’s announcement is a welcome sign that government is taking both social value, and the places it can reach, more seriously. If companies are asked to deliver real, measurable social value wherever they win public work, then social value stops being a box to tick and becomes what it should always have been: an enabler of opportunity, and of good growth in every postcode.”

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Public Sector Procurement Public Sector | MAY/JUNE Procurement 2024

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Boost for businesses as new powers save contracts for local areas

Billion pound boost for small businesses as councils get new powers to save contracts for local communities.

Councils, police and fire authorities in England to now be able to reserve bidding for lower-value contracts to just local and UK suppliers.

Reforms pave way for more than £1 billion of potential spend to be reserved every year for local and UK firms.

Latest in a series of reforms to open up government work to small businesses and create skilled local jobs.

Public Sector Procuremenr

Small businesses are set to benefit from £1 billion of funds every year through laws proposed today allowing local authorities to reserve some contracts for suppliers in their area.

These reforms are the latest in a series to unlock growth by slashing commercial red tape, simplifying the public contracts regime and removing barriers for smaller firms to work with government.

Under the changes, councils, fire and police authorities in England will now be able to reserve competitions for their lowervalue contracts to UK-based suppliers and

suppliers in a defined local area.

Chris Ward, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office, said: “We’re changing the rules that have held back councils from investing in local businesses that are the lifeblood of local economies.

This will put power back in the hands of our communities to drive growth, unlock skilled jobs and create local investment that rewards working people. “ Alison McGovern, Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness at the Department for Housing, Communities

Would you like to get that important information off paper5 as soon as possible? and Local Government said: “We want councils to help create jobs, opportunities and growth right across the country.

Making sure they can prioritise our brilliant local businesses is a huge step forward in achieving that, and will mean more money going to firms that know their areas best and can invest in the communities they serve.”

The move, disapplying section 17(5)(e) of the Local Government Act 1988 in certain circumstances, gives local authorities the tools to support growth in their communities, while maintaining the core principles of fair competition and value for money when awarding below-threshold contracts.

The new voluntary rules also brings the public sector in line with theto»the»Dementia»Friends»initiative,»with»a» flexibility that Whitehall has to buy goods and services. view»to»all»FRAs»joining»the»scheme»over»

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It follows a new National Procurement Policy Statement published inCllr»Jeremy»Hilton,»Chair»of»the»LGA’s»Fire» February, which set out an expectation for public Services»Management»Committee,»said: bodies to provide wider social and economic value when awarding their contracts. Over the summer, the Government “Fire» rescue»that services» also consulted onand» proposals would have» utiliseproven» spending by how» effective» they» can» public sectorjust» bodies when buying everyday goodsbe» andby» services halving»the»instances»of»fire»over»the»last» to create more opportunities for local small businesses and decade»deliver through» both» responses» social enterprises, social valuetheir» by creating good local to»work emergencies» jobs, open up opportunitiesand» and their» boost extensive» skills.

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Jeremy» Hilton,» Chair» of» the» LGA’s» Fire» Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses,Services»Management»Committee. said: “It’s great to see the Government listening to small businesses and taking action. This is exactly the kind of practical “They»are»now»exploring»how»they»can»use» reform we called for - giving local authorities the their»expertise»in»further»prevention»work» tools to make it easier for small firms to take on public work. to»improve»the»public’s»health»by»providing»

interventions,» promoting» Small firmscritical» bring deep local knowledge, stronghealth» community messages» to»clears appropriate» ties and specialist skills. and» Whenreferring» the system unnecessary hurdles andservices.» lets them compete on fair terms, the whole community benefits. Today’s announcement is a welcome “Over»half»of»all»fire»related»deaths»and» sign that those barriers are finally starting to come down.” injuries» in» the» home» happen» to» people»

over»60»and»we»know»that»impairment»and» Cllr Dan Swords, Chair of the LGA’s Public Service Reform disability»increase»the»risk»of»harm»from» and Innovation Committee, said: “Councils have a key role in and» other» This»them work»greater driving localfires» growth and thesehazards» changestoo.» will give freedoms tomeans»that»not»only»can»we»prevent»fires» buy local, keeping more of what they spend in and»other»emergencies,»but»action»can»be» their local communities. taken»to»help»people»who»may»not»even»

realise»that»they»need»extra»help.”

Local suppliers, SMEs and voluntary and community organisations will all benefit from councils being able to The» Local» contracts Government» Association» reserve below-threshold for them, creating jobs and represents»all»49»fire»and»rescue»authorities» increasing supply chain resilience, to help meet our shared (FRAs)»in»England»and»Wales»and»more» ambition with government to boost inclusive local and national than»370»local»councils. economic growth.”

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Restructuring procurement pipelines in the NHS requirements under the Provider Selection Regime and PA23. Importantly, consistent use builds organisational memory that can withstand structural and staffing change.

The NHS is undergoing major structural change.

Many integrated care boards are merging, while simultaneously reducing headcount.

Commissioners need to achieve challenging efficiency targets, minimising duplication while ensuring services remain fit for purpose.

As ICBs merge, there is a commercial imperative to have a firm grip on all the contracts they hold. Organisational memory has already been diminished as people and structures change over time. Consequently, some services run without proper contractual visibility, resulting in uncertainty around contract renewal, financial forecasting and legislative compliance.

Procurement pipeline planning tools do exist, but many organisations remain reliant on multiple spreadsheets, creating duplication and greatly reducing local, regional and national transparency. While ICB mergers may exacerbate these issues in the short term, they also provide an opportunity to tackle persistent contracting and procurement challenges.

What does good look like?

What if finance, procurement, commissioning and contracting teams all had consistent,

Public Sector Procuremenr

accurate contract information at their fingertips? They would have a forward plan of commissioning decisions months or even years in advance, enabling proactive decisions on which contracts should be renewed, at what point and for how long. Information governance, compliance and audit requirements would be captured, planned for and met. Contract correspondence would be held in one place for easy tracking and collaboration, with dashboards enabling users and executive leads to view status at-a-glance. Utopia? Not necessarily.

The NHS Health Family eCommercial System is a cloud-based procurement and contracting platform used by 93% of the NHS to manage commercial contracting and procurement processes. Funded centrally, there are no licensing costs to the wider system, yet this opportunity is seriously underused. The platform enables more robust, consistent and sustainable services. By inputting all contracts, procurements, associated financial data, correspondence and documentation into one system, organisations can build a clear, auditable picture of commissioned services, plan work effectively and comply with reporting

This isn’t just about working smarter within individual organisations. We all have a responsibility to contribute to a more sustainable NHS by reducing duplication and sharing best practice. National system data can inform commissioning, benchmark supplier performance and improve consistency of approach across the country. With greater adoption of the system, ICBs will be able to learn from each other, sharing information that can help the NHS deliver more complex commissioning areas, such as patient choice provision for ADHD and autism, often involving multiple and out-of-area providers.

Why act now?

As ICBs transform and providers flex to deliver the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, it will be increasingly important to optimise platforms like the NHS Health Family eCommercial system to improve efficiency, service quality and value for money. Taking a strategic, longer-term view on how best to utilise these tools – beginning with a contract amnesty – is crucial to tackling longstanding problems.

Teams need the freedom to share ‘skeletons in the closet’ and build an accurate picture of their contracts and procurement timetables. It’s an uncomfortable but necessary step towards transforming practice and helps establish quality data to underpin a single system ‘instance’ for merged ICBs. Given wider workload pressures, a phased approach may be necessary, but any investment in training and improving data quality will quickly pay off in enhanced commercial processes and a clearer understanding of future procurements.

Public Sector Procurement

76

NEWS NEWS

Only eight per cent of public sector frontline workers equipped with 4G 5G The»UK»public»sector»could»be»missing» The UK public sector could be missing out out»on»the»opportunity»to»provide»faster» on the opportunity to provide faster and more communityand» more» cost-effective» cost-effective community based services to based»services»to»citizens»due»to»slow»4G» citizens due to slow 5G adoption amongst adoption»amongst»Britain’s»vital»frontline.»

Britain’s vital frontline.

Fewer»than»one»in»10»public»sector»frontline» Fewer than one in 10 public sector frontline workers»are»currently»using»4G»technology,» workers are currently using 5G technology, research»amongst»public»sector»decision» research amongst public sector decision makers» by»YouGov YouGov» Vodafone» makers by forfor» Vodafone UK UK» has has» revealed.»

The» slow»ofuptake» of» 4G» revealed.

The slow uptake 5G technology technology»in»the»public»sector»appears» in the public sector appears to be attributable to»be»attributable»to»a»lack»of»knowledge»of» to a lack of knowledge of the benefits it can the»benefits»it»can»provide»and»perception» provide and perception of overall costs of»overall»costs»involved,»which»was»cited» involved, which was cited as one of the key as»one»of»the»key»obstacles»to»adoption»by» obstacles to adoption by those that don’t those»that»don’t»already»have»4G.» already have 5G. Frontline»workers,»such»as»police»officers,» Frontline workers, such as police officers, nurses»and»social»workers,»could»all»benefit» nurses and social workers, could all benefit from»4G’s»greater»speed»and»capacity»to» from 5G’s greater speed and capacity to

access» access critical» critical information» information and» and update» update records» while»out out»inin» the» records electronically» electronically while the community.»»Fast»mobile»connectivity»would» community. Fast mobile connectivity would improve» critical» decision decision»making making»inin» the» improve critical the field,»reduce»time»spent»on»administration» field, reduce time spent on administration and»ultimately»help»to»improve»the»service» and ultimately help to improve the service provided»to»citizens.» provided to citizens.

administration.»

They» can»they’re reinvest» time» time and resource where needed and»resource»where»they’re»needed»most,» most, whether that’s visiting a patient in their whether»that’s»visiting»a»patient»in»their»own» own home, on the beat, or elsewhere in the home,»on»the»beat,»or»elsewhere»in»the» community. In frontline services such as the community.»In»frontline»services»such»as» police where every second counts, 5G really the»police»where»every»second»counts,»4G» can make a big difference.” really»can»make»a»big»difference.”

“As» public» sector» organisations» face» “As public sector organisations face continued continued»budget»cuts,»delivering»quality» budget cuts, delivering quality services to services» is» challenge,” an» increasing» citizens is to» ancitizens» increasing said challenge,”»said»Mick»Wayman,»Head»of» Mick Wayman, Head of Public Sector at Public» Sector» Vodafone» UK.» “Armed» Vodafone UK. at» “Armed with cost-effective with»cost-effective»mobile»devices»and»4G» mobile devices and 5G connectivity, frontline connectivity,»frontline»workers»can»access» workers can access and update centralised and»update»centralised»records»such»as» records such as medical and criminal history medical»and»criminal»history»while»they»are» while they are out in the field. This helps them out»in»the»field.»This»helps»them»to»make» to make better decisions in the moment, better»decisions»in»the»moment,»eliminates» eliminates the need to go ‘back to base’ the»need»to»go»‘back»to»base’»to»complete» to complete paperwork and reduces time paperwork» and» reduces» time» on» spent on administration.

They canspent» reinvest

Fast,» reliable» to» information» on» the frontline is access» vital. With 5G, large files, the»frontline»is»vital.»With»4G,»large»files,» applications and critical information can be applications»and»critical»information»can»be» uploaded and downloaded in an instant: a uploaded»and»downloaded»in»an»instant:»a» feature that over half (54 per cent) of public feature»that»over»half»(54»per»cent)»of»public» sector respondents said is very or fairly sector»respondents»said»is»very»or»fairly» important to their organisation. important»to»their»organisation.»

Fast, reliable access to information on

Crucially, giving those on the frontline fast,

Crucially,» giving» those» on» the» high capacity connectivity and frontline» access fast,» high» capacity» connectivity» and» to information would also support public access»to»information»would»also»support» sector decision makers’ top three priorities public»sector»decision»makers’»top»three» which were cited as improving operational priorities»which»were»cited»as»improving» efficiency, improving customer experience operational»efficiency,»improving»customer» and reducing overall business costs. experience»and»reducing»overall»business» However, the research found there is still costs.»However,»the»research»found»there» some way to go for the public sector to is»still»some»way»to»go»for»the»public»sector» realise 5G’s potential to help meet their top to»realise»4G’s»potential»to»help»meet»their» priorities, as the benefits are not widely top»priorities,»as»the»benefits»are»not»widely» understood and cost is still seen as barrier understood»and»cost»is»still»seen»as»barrier» to adoption. to»adoption.»

“We are working with public sector

“We» are» working» public» sector» organisations to tearwith» down the barriers organisations»to»tear»down»the»barriers» standing in the way of putting 5G connectivity standing» the» ofway» of» frontline,” putting» said 4G» in the handsin» of more Britain’s connectivity» in» the» hands»organisations of» more» of» Mr Wayman. “We are helping Britain’s»frontline,”»said»Mr»Wayman.»“We» to understand how the technology can are»helping»organisations»to»understand» assist in driving efficiency, delivering better how»the»technology»can»assist»in»driving» services to citizens and meeting their key efficiency,» priorities. delivering» better» services» to» citizens»and»meeting»their»key»priorities.»

We» want» ensure» that» those» on» the» We want to to» ensure that those on the frontline frontline» able»advantage to» take» advantage» of» are able are» to take of the right the»right»technologies,»such»as»4G,»that» technologies, such as 5G, that will help them will»help»them»to»do»their»jobs»in»the»most» to do their jobs in the most effective way effective»way»possible.” possible.”

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

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Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

8

NEWS

Farizon SV earns its racing stripes with Team BRIT thanks to Brian Currie Ltd Nathan Wooldridge, Team BRIT’s number two mechanic, said: “As well as transporting a full complement of wet and slick tyres, we also carry other items that we can’t bring in our truck, such as catering packs and simulators. The SV is easy to load heavy items into, and there’s lots of anchorage points, making it easy to strap and secure items.”

A comfortable companion Throughout those long-distance journeys criss-crossing the country, the SV has proven to be extremely comfortable, seating three team members and providing plenty of storage space. According to Wooldridge, the SV is also far quieter than a conventional diesel van, and feels more like driving a big car rather than a large van.

Brian Currie Van Centre – the commercial vehicle dealer for Farizon in Milton Keynes – is proud to sponsor Team BRIT, the world’s only competitive team of all-disabled racing drivers.

This partnership has kicked off in earnest, with Team BRIT utilising a Farizon SV provided by Brian Currie Van Centre. The electric workhorse has already proven itself integral to supporting Team BRIT’s work, both on and off the racetrack.

The team opted for the largest SV in Farizon’s range, the L3H3 model. With cargo capacity of 13m3, a payload of 1045kg and a range of up to 247 miles (WLTP combined), the L3 H3 is ideal for carrying items long distances.

Public Sector Procuremenr

Mike Scudamore, Team Principal at Team BRIT, said: “Motor racing is not always seen as the most environmentally friendly sport, so we work hard to minimise our impact away from the circuit. The logistics behind our race operations are significant, and our van is a crucial part of our fleet. The all-electric Farizon SV was a great solution.”

Straight into service The Farizon SV quickly became a key tool for Team BRIT, delivering equipment and personnel to race venues across the UK. The van regularly manages 310 miles on a single charge in real-world conditions, so it can reach most circuits without needing to stop. When a charge has been required, the van can be topped up from 20% to 80% in as little as 40 minutes.

Team BRIT have been well-served by the high levels of kit provided as standard, including a leather multifunction heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated leather seats, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology.

With over 5,000 miles now under its belt, Team BRIT’s Farizon SV continues to play an important role for the race-winning team.

Scudamore summed-up: “The high spec of the Farizon means we’re guaranteed to have a safe and reliable van for a long time to come, and the fact it’s electric is a bonus.”

Tom Osborne, Managing Director at Brian Currie, said: “Team BRIT isn’t just about racing. They’re about resilience, inclusivity, and showing that disability is no barrier to competing at the highest levels. Their mission aligns perfectly with our values, and it’s an honour to be working with them.”

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Delivering Data Digitally

Get precise information from paper, books, maps, plans and archive material and electronic files as efficiently as possible.

Abergower’s» history» in» document» in»a»way»where»the»user»can»quickly»and» processing»can»be»traced»back»over»the» effi»ciently» fi»nd» the» exact» information» or» last» 15» years.» In» that» time» they» have» image»they»want. delivered» national» projects» for» clients» such»as»The»National»Archive,»The»British» This» philosophy» can» be» illustrated» with» Library,»The» MOD,»The» United» Nations» the»project»they»carried»out»for»The»City» and»The»Scottish»Government.»They»have» of» Lincoln» Archives.» This» involved» the» also»worked»with»many»local»authorities» digitisation»of»precious»probate»registers» throughout»the»UK»to»convert»their»fi»nancial» which»were»over»200»years»old»and»large» records»and»planning»applications»to»digital» maps» and» illustrations» of» the» county» content»in»the»most»effi»cient»way. spanning» a» similar» time» frame.» They» organised»this»work»to»be»carried»out»on-site» Their» expertise» is» in» working» with» their» using»the»most»sophisticated»large»format» clients» to» deliver» digital» information» to» scanners,»specialised»book»scanners»and» improve»their»business»processes»or»make» hi-»resolution»paper»scanners»to»create» information»available»to»a»wider»user»base» very»high»quality»images.»

Their»team»worked»with»the»city»archive» department» to» ensure» that» all» original» material»was»handled»with»precise»care» and» attention» and» that» all» processes» met» with» the» highest» standards» in» the» conversion»process.»

The»project»delivered»a»key»component»in» the»highly»prestigious»“Lincs»to»the»Past”» website»which»has»been»a»great»success» in»opening»up»a»treasure»trove»of»valuable» information»to»members»of»the»public»and» specialist»archive»agencies»with»regard»to» the»rich»and»comprehensive»history»of»the» county.»»

www.abergower.co.uk

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

912 HEALTH HEALTH & SOCIAL SOCIAL CARE CARE

LIvING FOR CICSS

The problem with health and social care crises is that they require a rapid response. In many areas, the only really rapid response available is hospital.

Not in Nottingham, though, where commissioners at Nottingham North and East Nottingham West CCGs have worked with the British Red Cross to develop the Crisis Intervention Community Support Service to prevent admission to hospital or respite care by providing short, targeted interventions.

This» is»a» service»that» other»CCGs» could»do»well» to»look» at Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

HEALTH CARE 139 HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE

The»service»is»known»locally»by»its»acronym,» CICSS,»pronounced»“kicks,”»and»has»been» running»since»2010.»»Last»year,»just»over» three»quarters»of»the»people»referred»to» the»service»did»not»need»an»admission.»

This»adds»up»to»748»admissions»avoided,» saving»the»two»CCGs»a»combined»total»of» nearly»£1.5m.»

“We» call» to» say» that» the» GP» thinks» you» might»want»some»help»and»ask»if»we»can» come»to»make»an»assessment.»If»they»say» yes,»we»go»and»see»them»in»their»home.”»

More»than»90»per»cent»accept»the»offer.»

The» response» is» rapid» rather» than» emergency,»says»Ruth.»GPs»can»ask»for» patients»to»be»seen»within»the»hour»and» “Our»main»theme»at»British»Red»Cross»is» very»often»that»is»possible.»Usually,»though,» refusing»to»ignore»people»in»crisis,”»says»» first»contact»is»within»12»hours. service»manager»Ruth»Beedel.»“It»doesn’t» matter»what»size»that»crisis»is,»it»is»what» “We»find»it»really»helps»if»a»relative»or»friend» matters»to»the»person.” can» be» there» for» the» assessment» visit,”» says»Ruth.»“The»service»users»do»not»know» “So»the»idea»of»CICSS»is»to»put»in»some» us»and»it»is»important»they»feel»safe.” support» very» quickly» for» a» short» period» of» time» to» help» people» over» a» difficult» The»team»doing»these»visits»consists»of» period» and» either» help» them» return» to» 12»healthcare»assistants.»The»minimum» independence»or»give»their»GP»time»to»set» requirement»is»NVQ»level»2»although»in» up»a»package»of»ongoing»support.” practice»they»are»all»either»at,»or»working» towards,»level»3.»They»cover»two»shifts»–» The»service»is»available»to»anyone»over»the» 7am»to»3pm»and»3pm»to»10pm»–»365»days» age»of»18,»though»in»reality»the»client»group» a»year. is»overwhelmingly»65-plus.»

“At»the»initial»assessment»we»look»at»the» “We»had»one»lady»of»102,”»says»Ruth.» whole»picture»to»try»to»understand»what»the» service»user»wants,»what»they»understand» When»any»of»the»GPs»in»the»two»CCG»areas» about»our»service»and»what»we»can»offer,”» identifies»someone»who»is»struggling»and» says»Ruth.» for»whom»a»short»package»might»prevent» an»admission,»they»call»a»central»hub»run» “We»ask»what»they»want»to»achieve»and» by»community»provider»Nottinghamshire» usually»that»is»something»like»they»want» Healthcare»County»Health»Partnerships.» to» be» independent» again» or» to» do» their» shopping»on»their»own»or»to»be»how»they» “Most»of»our»referrals»come»from»GPs»but» were»before»they»got»ill.»Then»we»have» we»do»also»get»them»from»pharmacists,» to»unpack»that»a»bit»and»work»out»how»to» who»are»worried»about»medication,»and» achieve»it.” from»physios»and»OTs,”»says»Ruth.»

Sometimes»it»is»daily»activities,»helping»the» The» service» does» not» take» referrals» for» service»user»to»prepare»meals»or»prompting» people»who»have»been»in»hospital»more» them»to»take»medication.» than»24»hours,»with»one»exception»–»the» Ling’s»Bar»rehabilitation»hospital»–»as»there» “I»could»be»helping»them»to»mobilise»more» is»a»Home»from»Hospital»service»to»support» effectively,”» says» Ruth.» “It’s» not» rocket» them. science»but»it»needs»very»special»people» to» do» it» effectively» and» we» have» some» The»hub»collects»some»basic»information» wonderful»HCAs.” and»refers»on»to»CICSS»where»co-ordinators» take»the»case»before»making»contact»with» These»are»Level»1»service»users»whom» the»potential»service»user.

CICSS»can»support»for»14»days.»More»and»

Mr W was 84 and at home, receiving palliative care for terminal cancer. When his health deteriorated rapidly, the district nursing team called in CICSS to provide 48 hours of care while they set up a care package.

CICSS visited him three times a day, helping with personal care safely and comfortably and with dignity. The HCAs were able to alert the district nursing team to an area of soreness and prevent it getting worse. When the care package was delayed because paperwork did not arrive in time, CICSS extended its support. A week later, CICSS handed over care. Mr W stayed at home comfortably and surrounded by his family throughout.

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

914 HEALTH HEALTH && SOCIAL SOCIALCARE CARE more» frequently,» though,» service» users» require»help»with»personal»care»–»toileting» and»washing.»These»are»Level»2»service» users»who»can»receive»seven»days»more» intensive»help.

The»HCAs»report»back»to»the»coordinators» after» this» initial» assessment» and» put» together»a»schedule»of»visits.»The»service» keeps»GPs»informed»along»the»way.»

“That»means»the»GPs»are»aware»and»they» can»mobilise»other»services.»»We»are»a»bit» like»the»eyes»and»ears»of»the»GP.»We»see» their»patients»regularly.”

They»also»signpost»service»users»to»other» organisations»that»might»help»and»liaise» with» GPs» and» community» and» social» services»about»ongoing»support.»

Like»the»NHS,»CICSS»is»seeing»rising»levels» of»dependency»and»complexity,»including» early»signs»of»dementia,»people»needing» end»of»life»care»and»those»with»high»body» mass» index.» Recently,» commissioners» have» asked» CICSS» to» accept» referrals» of» patients» assessed» by» GPs» as» high» risk»of»admission»–»adding»again»to»the» complexity»of»work.

The»CCGs»have»provided»additional»funds» and»CICSS»is»responding»with»training»to» support»the»HCAs.»“We»are»trying»to»build» some»resilience»into»the»team»as»well»as» enhanced»skills,”»says»Ruth.»

Dr»Guy»Mansford,»who»is»clinical»lead»for» Nottingham»West»CCG»and»a»partner»at» the»Oak»Medical»Centre»in»Beeston,»says» quite»simply»that»CICSS»is»“brilliant”.

“It’s» really» raised» our» expectations» of» what»can»happen.»In»the»past»we»would» see»someone»not»coping»at»home»and»we» might»make»a»referral»to»Social»Services» who» might» say» they» could» see» them» in» two»weeks»if»we»were»lucky.»There»was» no»assurance»and»often»we»would»end»up» admitting»them»to»hospital.»

“Now» I» can» call» CICSS» and» know» that» someone»will»be»there»within»the»hour.»I»

can»tell»the»patient»and»be»sure»that»it»will» happen.»They»are»as»responsive»as»we» are.”

His»only»worry»is»that»CICSS»may»end»up» filling»rather»more»of»the»gap»left»by»social» services»than»it»should.»“We»have»to»hold» social»services»to»account,”»he»says.»

Candice»Lau,»senior»service»improvement» manager»at»Nottingham»North»and»East» CCG,»says»the»feedback»from»providers» and»service»users»is»excellent»and»that» CICSS»fills»a»real»gap.»The»fact»that»CICSS» is»CQC»regulated»provides»an»added»layer» of»assurance»about»quality,»she»adds.»

It»costs»the»combined»CCGs»just»under» £250,000»a»year»to»run»and»with»just»under» £1.5m»saved»through»avoided»admissions» on»paper»this»is»value»for»money.»»However,» she» would» like» to» evaluate» this» more» closely.»“It’s»always»very»difficult»to»allocate» savings»exactly,”»she»says.

Certainly»CICSS»is»adding»value»not»just»for» service»users»but»also»the»NHS»locally»and» it»is,»says»Ms»Lau,»a»transferable»model.»

“The»Red»Cross»is»very»experienced»at» running»these»sorts»of»crisis»services,”»she» says.»“This»is»a»service»that»other»CCGs» could»do»well»to»look»at.”

Mrs P was 82, in poor health and living alone with some support from her son. She was referred to CICSS by her GP after a visit to A&E for help with personal care needs.

The»team»visited»every»morning»to»help»her»wash»and»dress»and» have»some»breakfast.»They»also»helped»make»her»environment» safe,»for»example»by»having»a»key»safe»fitted»so»she»did»not» need»to»go»to»the»door»when»her»son»was»not»present.»They» referred»her»to»the»Department»for»Work»and»Pensions»for» financial»advice.»Meanwhile,»social»services»informed»CICSS» that»they»were»not»able»to»provide»support»for»Mrs»P.»The»GP» and»CICSS»pressed»the»case»and»eventually»a»care»package»of» morning»and»evening»visits»was»commissioned»–»but»not»until»30» days»after»the»initial»referral.»CICSS»continued»to»support»Mrs»P» throughout.

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

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Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

19

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

20 CIPD

CIPD

HELPING THE SANDWICH GENERATION REMAIN IN POST

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

10

CIPD

Of»all»public»sector»workers,»NHS»staff»are» most»likely»to»work»through»their»breaks» and» lunchtime,» according» to» a» report» published» last» month» by» the» Guardian» newspaper.» The» newspaper’s» Clockoff» survey,»which»analysed»the»well-being»of» more»than»3,700»public»sector»staff»across» the»board,»found»that»85»per»cent»of»those» who»took»part»in»the»online»survey»insisted» stress»was»a»fact»of»life»for»them.

Dr» Jill» Miller,» Research» Adviser» at» the» CIPD»and»an»expert»on»staff»wellbeing,» isn’t»particularly»surprised»at»the»findings.»

She» authored» the» 15th» CIPD»Absence» Management» Survey» which» provided» benchmarking» data» for» both» public» and» private»sector»organisations»throughout» the»UK.»

CIPD 21

•Worries»over»job»security»and»because»of» this»not»wanting»to»take»time»off •Not»wanting»to»shoulder»colleagues»with» an»even»higher»burden»than»they»already» had •Concerned» about» letting» their» clients» down»if»they»were»absent»(this»particularly» applied»to»those»working»in»the»care»field» such»as»social»workers»and»health»visitors)

Despite»the»increase»in»absence»rates»Dr» Miller»is»optimistic»that»organisations»are» starting»to»recognise»the»need»to»focus»on» staff»well-being,»with»the»public»sector»in» particular»faring»far»better»in»this»respect» than» private» organisations.» She» has» been»particularly»impressed»by»housing» associations»she’s»studied,»and»notes»the» Her»figures»showed»that»although»absence» NHS»is»also»gearing»up»activity. as» a» whole» had» fallen» by» one» day» per» employee» (6.6» days)» compared» to» the» “There»is»a»lot»of»more»proactive»activity» previous» year» (7.6),» the» figure» was» still» going»on»now»than,»say,»five»years»ago.» far»higher»for»public»sector»staff»than»in» Many» more» organisations» are» putting» the»private»sector»(7.0»days»per»employee» good» initiatives» in» place» such» as» Work» compared»to»5.5»days»respectively).

Life»Balance»programmes,»Healthy»Eating» initiatives»and»offering»employees»access» With» lots» of» public» sector» restructuring» to»counselling,»or»at»least»signposting»them» and»job»losses»as»a»result,»it’s»thought»one» to»areas»where»they»can»find»people»to»help» reason»for»higher»absences»in»government» them.

–» and» voluntary» sector» -» jobs» could» be» presenteeism-» staff» turning» up» at» work» “However,» we» still» have» a» while» to» go» when»genuinely»ill.» until» it» becomes» business» as» usual.» In» an»ideal»world»it»would»be»great»to»see» “Our» survey» found» that» one» third» of» staff»wellbeing» become» a» key» business» organisations» had» seen» an» increase» in» operation.» Realistically,» though,» it’ll» be» presenteeism,”»said»Dr»Miller.»“And»it»was» some»time»before»we»can»celebrate»that» higher»in»the»public»sector»where»there» particular»day.” were»also»higher»levels»of»workload»and» stress.»

Communicating»honestly»and»openly»with» staff» –» particularly» around» restructuring» “If»people»come»to»work»when»they»are» exercises» -» would» be» another» way» of» genuinely»ill»then»it»takes»them»far»longer» reducing»stress»and»absenteeism,»insists» to»recover»from»an»illness.»Instead»of»taking» Dr»Miller.»That»includes»allowing»staff»to» one» or» two» days» off» to» get» over» it» they» ask»questions»rather»than»simply»dictating» eventually»end»up»having»to»take»much» what’s»about»to»happen. more»time»off»as»their»illness»worsens.”

“Employees» often» get» anxious» about» The»reasons»those»interviewed»gave»for» the» reasons» for» changing» the» structure» presenteeism»included: of» an» organisation» and» what’s» going» to»

Dr»Jill»Miller happen»to»their»role»within»it.»Management» ignore»these»feelings»to»their»detriment,”» she»said.»“Where»there»is»a»vacuum»of» information»and»no»communication,»staff,» understandably,»start»to»hypothesise.”

Introducing» flexible» working» is» another» method» of» which» she» is» in» favour.»This» is» particularly» relevant» today» with» the» ‘sandwich»generation,’»she»says,»where» many» workers» find» themselves» with» children» and» caring» for» elderly» parents» while»at»the»same»time»trying»to»hold»down» a»full-time»job.

“Asking» employees» to» work» core» hours» allows»people»time»to»build»their»working» day»around»their»other»responsibilities»and» helps»the»burden»of»juggling»of»all»these» roles»on»a»continual»basis.»People»don’t» just»automatically»switch»off»their»caring» role»when»they»come»to»work.”

Home»working,»which»happens»less»in»the» public»sector»than»the»private,»is»another» initiative» which» can» help» with» juggling» responsibilities.»However,»this»involves»a» different»mindset»for»managers»–»who»often» need»guidance»and»how»to»manage»such» a»scenario.

Getting» staff» to» work» flexibly» and» from» home»doesn’t»cost»an»organisation»much» more»money»–»and»in»fact»could»lead»to» savings»with»rent»and»utility»bills.»Health» and» wellbeing» initiatives,» on» the» other» hand,»can»cost»money.»However,»as»far»as» Dr»Miller»is»concerned»it’s»definitely»money» well»spent.

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

22 FDA

WHAT IS THE REAL IMPACT OF A CAP ON PuBLIC SECTOR ExIT PAYMENTS? .

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

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NHS

£557 MILLION FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO SWITCH TO CLEANER HEATING AND SAVE ON ENERGY BILLS Schools, pools, and hospitals will be supported to make energy efficient upgrades, and businesses with high energy use will receive funding to help cut bills and emissions More public buildings and businesses will benefit from over half a billion pounds in funding to help reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions.

corridors to the businesses that power up our economy, we want to make sure buildings of all shapes and sizes are supported to deliver net zero.

Schools, pools, and hospitals will be supported to make energy efficient upgrades, with over £557 million government investment. The new projects will help reduce emissions and cut bills, as part of the government’s plan to reach its world-leading net zero targets in a sustainable, pragmatic way.

By allocating over £557 million today, we are standing steadfast behind our public sector and local businesses, providing the help they need to make the switch to cleaner, homegrown energy.

Heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and low-energy lighting will be rolled out to reduce the use of fossil fuels across the public sector and strengthen the UK’s energy independence, helping save taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds.

This follows significant progress already made towards reaching net zero – with the UK becoming the first major economy to halve emissions. Decarbonising the public sector is expected to save an estimated £650 million per year on average to 2037.

Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said: “From school Public Sector Procuremenr

This will not only help cut bills in the long term, but ensure we keep reducing our emissions – having already led the world by halving them since 1990.”

Over 1,000 projects have now received funding since 2020 to upgrade thousands of buildings through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. New projects receiving funding in this phase include: • Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded over £21 million to decarbonise 3 buildings by installing new heat pumps alongside other measures including wall, loft and roof insulation, double glazing and LED lighting

• Loughborough University has been awarded over £2 million to decarbonise their Olympic size swimming pool by replacing old gas-fired boilers with more efficient, cleaner heat pumps • Surrey County Council has been awarded over £5 million to cut emissions across 19 sites including 6 libraries, 4 nursing homes, 2 community centres, Guildford Fire Station, 5 schools and the council’s own headquarters in Reigate The government has also announced the award of £27.5 million from the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund to support businesses with high energy use to reduce their bills and carbon emissions, with new projects including: • Pilkington UK will relocate its glass manufacturing line to a single facility in St Helens, helping to reduce their carbon emissions by producing glass from one, upgraded furnace, rather than running two • Sofidel plans to replace their current natural gas steam boiler with one that can run on green hydrogen at their

Leicester paper mill, helping to transform their energy intensive manufacturing process

more energy efficient as well as being comfortable places to use thanks to this funding.

• Plastipak UK will upgrade 13 drying systems at their Wrexham plant to help save energy during the production of preforms and containers for food, drink and dairy products

Every day our teams at Salix work with the public sector to achieve ambitious net zero goals and we’re looking forward to working with the latest successful Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme grant recipients.

Today’s announcements demonstrate further progress towards the government’s commitment to spend more than £12 billion on energy efficiency by 2028, helping even more organisations and businesses to benefit from cleaner, more secure energy.

Together we will continue to take positive action to address our impact on the climate.”

Salix Chief Executive Emma Clancy said: “The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It requires all of us, including governments and businesses, to make change and reduce our carbon footprint.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme enables the public sector to tap into a fund which can transform our public buildings. These are the sites we use every day; our schools, universities, leisure centres and others will become

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive Cara Charles-Barks said: “We are beginning to make great strides to reduce our emissions, through initiatives such as decommissioning our entire nitrous oxide manifold and a sustainable travel plan.

This grant is therefore invaluable. It will enable us to make these essential changes in the coming years and will have a positive impact on the environment and the experience of being in hospital. We know that getting this right will be better for the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, the people we work with and the

people in our community.”

Managing Director of Pilkington UK Neil Syder said: “This project represents one of the single biggest investments we’ve made in our UK manufacturing facilities in decades, and will ultimately secure the future of rolled glass manufacturing in the UK. Working out of one furnace will enable us to make a permanent and significant saving in CO2 emissions. It’s a radical shift in the way we operate, but we know that if we are to achieve our net zero ambitions, we need to make change across all areas of our business.

The Watson Street site has been operating since the 1800s and forms a key piece of our history. Throughout the years, the site has been instrumental in the development of different products, paving the way for a rich history of innovation in glass solutions.

Yet this move marks a new chapter in our story that allows us to embrace more sustainable ways of making glass and continue to drive forward our vision for change in partnership with the industry.”

Public Sector Procurement

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NHS

NHS DELIVERY AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT REVIEW Recommendations: How can improvement-led delivery enhance the quality of outcomes for our patients, communities and our health and care workforce?

The delivery and continuous improvement (DCI) review considered how the NHS, working in partnership through integrated care systems (ICSs), delivers on its current priorities while continuously improving for the longer term. We know that focusing on improvement, as an essential component of quality, enables

us to achieve more consistent, highquality care. The review team explored how we ‘improve with purpose’, using all the assets at our disposal: data and evidence, digital transformation and the skills and experience of our health and care workforce. Having assessed the current approach to delivery-led

improvement both within NHS England and more widely, the review team made 10 recommendations which were endorsed by NHS England’s Executive Group (outlined in this report). NHS England’s Board has now consolidated these recommendations into three actions:

1. Describe a single, shared NHS improvement approach. NHS England will set an expectation that all NHS providers, working in partnership with their integrated care boards, will embed a quality improvement method aligned with the improvement approach to support increased productivity and enable improved health outcomes.

This will require a commitment from NHS England itself to work differently, in line with the improvement approach and the new Operating Framework.

2. Co-design with our health and care partners a leadership for improvement programme, commissioned and supported by NHS England, enrolling all providers and systems (including primary care) in it to support a whole-system focus on improving healthcare outcomes with our workforce, patients and communities.

3. Establish a national improvement board, to agree the small number of shared national priorities on which NHS England, with providers and systems, will focus our improvement-led delivery work, with national co-ordination and regional leadership.

The new board will support more consistent, high-quality delivery of services to improve performance and reduce unwarranted variation.

Public Sector Procuremenr

NHS

12

BACKGROUND TO THE DCI REVIEW

Public Sector Procurement

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NHS

THE THREE NHS ENGLAND ACTIONS

THE NHS IMPROVEMENT APPROACH NHS England will set an expectation that all NHS providers, working in partnership through integrated care systems, will embed aquality improvement method aligned with the NHS improvement approach. This will inform our ways of working across services atevery level of place: primary care networks, local care networks, provider collaboratives and integrated care systems. It will require a commitment from NHS England itself to work differently, in line with the new NHS operating framework.

Public Sector Procuremenr

NHS

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Context: the evidence for improvement-led delivery

WHAT IS IMPROVEMENT-LED DELIVERY? Improvement-led delivery involves a whole-system (or whole-organisation) focus on quality, using evidence-based quality improvement methods to increase productivity and deliver better health outcomes for patients and communities. It is underpinned by the use of data and measurement to achieve these outcomes.

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE? Improvement-led delivery is a long term approach to delivery that facilitates stronger organisational governance, productivity and positive cultural change over time. Many parts of the NHS have a long tradition of embedding approaches focused on quality improvement:

Public Sector Procurement

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NHS

Appendices: These DCI review’s 10 recommendations were presented to NHS England’s Executive Group in October 2022

PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE THREE ACTIONS

*19 April 2023: Publication of this Delivery and Continuous Improvement Review at NHS England’s NHS leadership event with ICB and trust CEOs

Public Sector Procuremenr

NHS

12

DCI REVIEW METHOD AND ENGAGEMENT PROCESS The review team gathered evidence and insights directly from more than 1,000 people across the health and care system. Participants who have provided their insights and feedback include: •

Lived experience partners through NHS England’s experience of care team

•

ICB chief executives and non-executive directors (NEDs)

•

Provider chief executives and NEDs

•

Clinical leaders and people working at the point of care, such as nurses, GPs, consultants, and pharmacists

•

Strategic roles including operational, improvement and transformation specialists

•

ALB partners and collaborators, such as AQUA, CSUs and Health Data Research UK

•

Networks, think tanks and academics, such as Q community, The King’s Fund, and The Health Foundation.

•

National bodies, such as CQC, local government representatives, and NHS Confederation

•

Regional groups, such as local health and social care partnerships, and Academic Health Science Networks

•

NHS England national and regional teams

Emerging insights were reported to the review’s fortnightly steering group chaired by Sir David Sloman and Anne Eden.

During the course of the review, we provided inputs into several concurrent work programmes, seeking to align our emergent findings where appropriate. These included: •

The operating framework programme

•

The Creating the new NHS England change programme

•

Finance and productivity board

•

NHS England business planning and guidance

The review team did not undertake original quantitative research or analysis. It focused on collating and considering existing research and evidence to inform our recommendations.

While we have set out implementation plans to sit alongside these recommendations, we recognise that: •

our recommendations are closely interdependent with the ongoing NHS England change programme, which will shape how NHS England’soperating framework is realised.

•

full implementation of our recommendations across the NHS (and, in time, health and care systems) will require ongoing co-designbetween national and regional teams with leaders in systems and providers as well as wider partners, using a collaborative approach centred on learning.

Public Sector Procurement

7

EVERY CRISIS IS PERSONAL Every year the British Red Cross helps hundreds of thousands of people live more independently in their own homes.

To find out more about our integrated services visit: redcross.org.uk/commissioners Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in

Public Procuremenr EnglandSector and Wales (220949), Scotland (SC037738) and Isle of Man (0752).

40

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

LOCAL GOvERNMENT

13

THE COMMERCIALISATION CHALLENGE

The one thing we can guarantee from the forthcoming spending review is that things will get tougher for local government. We will simply have less money, but still have lots to do. Resolving that dilemma is the challenge for the rest of this decade,»says» Joe Simpson.

We» have» five» possible» strategies» to» address»the»problem.»One»is»to»raise»more» taxes.»What»we»know»is»that»there»is»no» public»appetite»for»this.»The»most»recent» illustration»of»this»was»the»referendum»in» Bedfordshire»seeking»public»support»for»a» higher»police»precept.»Police»are»one»of»the» more»popular»(and»visible)»public»services» but»the»vote»against»was»clear.»

My»fifth»strategy»is,»therefore,»to»deliver» services»which»people»or»organisations» are»prepared»to»pay»for.»Some»might»say» this»would»go»against»the»very»ethos»of» local»government.»Whenever»people»hark» back»to»a»golden»age»of»local»government,» they»always»reference»Joe»Chamberlain.»

But» the» gas» and» water» he» provided» for» Birmingham»were»not»free»goods.

A»second»option»would»be»to»reduce»service» provision,»but»as»we»see»more»economic» recovery»that»strategy»too»will»find»little» public»support.»Our»third»option»is»greater» efficiency.»We»should»always»be»vigilant» and»seek»further»efficiencies,»but»the»low» hanging»fruit»has»already»been»collected.»

There»may»still»be»some»big»opportunities» (could»digital»rework»our»basic»services?)» but»it»is»unlikely»that»the»scale»of»efficiency» changes»saving»can»be»sustained»to»match» the»saving»targets»we»need.»»

In» his» book» Joseph» Chamberlain:» Entrepreneur»in»Politics,»Peter»T»Marsh» writes»“his»main»object»was»not»municipal» takeover»of»the»local»gas»supply»so»much» as»a»large»increase»in»the»town’s»financial» base» for» further» civic» undertakings...he» assured» (the» council)» ...that» municipal» consolidation»of»the»gas»companies»would» yield»the»town»an»annual»profit»of»at»least» £15,000»rising»to»£50,000»within»fourteen» years-»a»provision»which»proved»to»be»a» great»underestimate”.

So»if»the»first»three»options»cannot»deliver» the» solution» we» need» to» focus» on» the» remaining»two.»First»is»behaviour»change-» so»that»the»call»on»our»services»is»reduced.»

To» give» an» example,» if» weight» levels» returned»to»their»1992»average»there»would» be»one»million»fewer»people»with»type»2» diabetes.»Achieving» that» change» would» save»money»and»make»people»healthier.»

Indeed»there»are»five»million»people»at»risk» of»getting»type»2»diabetes,»so»addressing» this»is»critical.»So»a»real»focus»on»behaviour» change/early»intervention»makes»sense.»

The»problem»is,»however,»that»the»savings» achieved»are»in»the»future.»Indeed,»we»may» even»have»higher»short»term»costs»as»we» twin» track» sustaining» existing» provision» whilst»also»funding»the»strategies»to»deliver» the»behaviour»change.

Such» enterprise» was» not» restricted» to» Birmingham.» As» Barry» Quirk,» chief» executive» of» Lewisham» likes» to» remind» us,»in»the»19th»century»the»public»baths»of» inner»London»all»ran»at»a»profit,»(something» city»treasurers»of»today»can»only»dream»of» when»they»consider»the»running»costs»of» swimming»pools).»Into»the»20th»century»we» have»the»example»of»Hull»and»its»phone» company.»Today»consider»the»success»of» Manchester»Airport,» owned» by» its» local» authorities.»The»company»now»also»runs» Stansted»Airport.

Joe»Simpson

it» difficult» to» operate,» or» where» public» investment»delivers»benefits»both»to»the» public»and»private»sectors.»Chamberlain’s» investments»in»utilities»delivered»benefits» not»just»to»Birmingham’s»citizens,»but»also» to»Birmingham’s»businesses.»The»“city»of»a» thousand»trades”»needed»effective»utilities.

The»question»we»need»to»ask»is,»what»sort» of» commercial» challenges» should» 21st» century»local»government»consider?»The» whole»devolution»debate»has»been»framed» around» questions» of» economic» growth,» schemes»involving»“earn»back”»and»the» like.

Commercialisation»is»more»than»effective» procurement,» or» tough» negotiation,» but» it» does» require» commercial» rigour.» Not» every»place»can»become»a»world»leader,» so»we»must»recognise»what»commercial» strengths»we»might»have.»Secondly,»like» every»old»skill»we»have»sort»of»forgotten,» or» which» have» become» rusty,» on» day» one»we»do»not»attempt»the»most»difficult» manoeuvre.»So»let’s»start»by»being»more» commercial»amongst»ourselves,»building» on» the» practice» of» different» authorities» which»already»have»developed»expertise» in» certain» areas» and» have» traded» that» expertise.»Finally,»let’s»share»the»learning» and»let’s»do»it»quickly.»Seize»the»opportunity» to»embrace»commercialisation»and»then»we» have»a»chance»to»shape»our»own»destiny.»»

Commercialisation»therefore»is»not»a»“new”» idea»but»part»of»local»government’s»DNA.» But»this»is»not»about»replacing»the»private» sector.»It»is»about»looking»at»opportunities» Joe Simpson is Director of The where» either» the» private» sector» finds» Leadership Centre

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

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Taxpayers. The media. Watchdog groups.

If you’ve ever dealt with government

WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SPENDING, EVERYONE’S WATCHING.

financials, you know that all eyes are watching. But with MasterCard,® the public sector has nothing to worry about. Our cards provide you with state-of-the-art security controls, from credit limits to purchase restrictions by merchant category. Plus, flexible approval routings and pre-authorisations from our proprietary inControl platform ensure compliance and minimize risk of fraud and misuse. And with our team of payment experts behind you, you can open your books with confidence. To learn more, visit www.mastercard.co.uk/publicsector or e-mail us at ukpublicsector@mastercard.com

LET THEM. Transparency and accountability through P u b l i c S e c t o r P r o cbusiness u r e m eintelligence. nt|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

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Individual metering of energy and water

chawk File name: 485778_PubSector_TaxPayers.qxd cated at MasterCard Job No: 9-485778 000 Purchase Street Date: 01/08/10

Live area: 200mmx287mm Bleed: 216mmx303mm Colors: CMYK All photos are Hi-res

Electronic file size: 100% of actual: 210mmx297mm Trim size: size 210mmx297mm Special Instructions: None

Reliable metering to ensure fair billing for tenants

The best way to ensure fair and cost effective billing and as low as possible living expenses is close monitoring of individual energy and water consumption.

If you choose Kamstrup, you have a number of benefits within reach: accurate cost sharing, correct billing and - best of all - fair and balanced savings for you and your tenants.

A member of our sales team would be pleased to help you to choose the right solution.

Contact us today at 01787 319081 or via info@kamstrup.co.uk

kamstrup.com/submetering Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

14 44 ESTATES

Life Safety fire riSk aSSeSSment

(SP205)-BAFE Scheme for Fire Protection

What»does»BAFE»scheme»SP205»offer»to» specifiers»and»building»owners/managers?

Everyone» responsible» for» a» building,» whether»in»the»public»or»private»sector,»must» be»aware»of»the»importance»of»adequate» fire»protection»for»their»customers,»staff»and» property.»

which» has» been» accredited» by» UKAS» and»is»delivered»by»a»number»of»licensed» certification» bodies.» This» scheme» was» launched»in»May»2012»and»organisations» are»now»being»certificated»across»the»UK.

The»legislation»(Regulatory»Reform»(Fire» Safety)» Order» and» Fire» (Scotland)» Act» 2005)»requires»that»the»‘responsible»person’» or»‘duty»holder’»for»a»building»carries»out» an» adequate» fire» risk» assessment» and» follows» the» requirements» in» providing» fire» protection.» There» is» a» wide» range» of» standards» and» guidance» documents» available,»which»can»be»complicated»and» therefore»there»is»often»a»need»in»all»but» the»smallest»buildings»to»gain»expert»help.

BAFE»(based»at»the»Fire»Service»College» at» Moreton» in» Marsh,» Gloucestershire)» is»the»independent»registration»body»for» companies»that»have»achieved»third»party» quality»certification»of»their»fire»protection» services.»Users»and»specifiers»currently» gain» the» reassurance» that» over» 1250» BAFE»registered»providers»of»fire»alarms,» For more information go to the BAFE portable» extinguishers,» and» emergency» website www.bafe.org.uk lighting» meet» UK» standards» and» are» Key points of BAFE regularly»audited.»

Whilst»for»some»premises»it»is»perfectly» possible»for»the»responsible»person»(duty» holder» in» Scottish» legislation)» to» carry» out» the» fire» risk» assessment,» for» larger» or»more»complicated»premises,»it»may»be» necessary»to»call»in»an»expert.»

The»Government»publishes»guidelines»for» fire»protection»in»a»range»of»premises»which» state:

In» the» public» sector» this» is» even» more» important»to»ensure»that»safety»is»seen»as»a» professional»priority»and»that»every»aspect» of»their»duty»of»care»has»been»considered.»

There» are» a» number» of» professional» accreditation» bodies» which» offer» lists» of» assessors,» but» nowhere» to» find» independently» certificated» companies» that»meet»nationally»accepted»standards.»

A»number»of»major»facilities»management» companies»who»offer»services»to»public» bodies,» now» recognise» that» they» need» to»have»independent»certification»of»the» quality»of»their»work.»

scheme SP205

»‘Third»party»certification»schemes»for»fire» protection»products»and»related»services» are»an»effective»means»of»providing»the» fullest»possible»assurances,»offering»a»level» of»quality,»reliability»and»safety»that»noncertificated»products»may»lack.»This»does» not»mean»goods»and»services»that»are»not» third-party»approved»are»less»reliable,»but» there»is»no»obvious»way»in»which»this»can» be»demonstrated.’

Many» public» bodies» and» commercial» organisations»now»specify»the»requirement» for»their»fire»protection»service»providers» to»be»third»party»certificated.»There»are»a» growing»number»of»tenders»now»stating» this»as»part»of»the»pre»qualification»criteria.»

This»is»not»a»question»of»recommending» one»company»over»another,»as»there»is» BAFE,»the»independent»quality»approvals» now» such» a» wide» range» of» companies» body»for»the»fire»protection»industry,»has»a» available»who»are»certificated,»but»a»matter» scheme»for»companies»who»provide»Life» of»refining»choices»for»end»users.

Safety» Fire» Risk»Assessment» (SP205),» Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

Under»the»legal»provisions»that»apply»in»the» UK,»the»duty»holder»or»responsible»person» for»a»building»is»required»to»make»a»fire»risk» assessment»to»clarify»the»fire»precautions» necessary»to»ensure»the»safety»of»staff,» service»users»and»property.»BAFE»scheme» SP205»will»identify»organisations»that»have» been»independently»certificated»to»deliver» this»service.

•»

•»

•» •»

•»

•»

This»scheme»has»been» developed»by»a»group»of» industry»experts»to»help»the» building»‘responsible»person’» meet»the»requirements»for»Fire» Risk»assessments»under»the» Regulatory»Reform(Fire»Safety)» Order»2005»and»Fire»(Scotland)»» Act»2005 SP205»specifies»that»companies» must»have»the»required»technical» and»quality»management» capabilities.

Risk»assessment»staff»need»to» meet»appropriate»standards.

The»scheme»has»been»designed» to»meet»the»requirements»of» companies»large»and»small,» recognising»that»there»are»many» individuals»working»as»assessors.

BAFE»has»been»working»closely» with»the»Competency»Council» which»was»independently»set» up»to»monitor»and»develop»Risk» Assessor»competence»criteria.

SP205»is»delivered»by»UKAS» accredited»certification»bodies.

DON’T GAMBLE WITH YOUR FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT! If you are responsible for a business premises, the law requires that you have a fire risk assessment.

To find competent providers, you need BAFE. Under the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Duty Holder or Responsible Person for a building is required to make a Fire Risk Assessment to clarify the fire precautions necessary to ensure the safety of staff, customers and property.

info@bafe.org.uk 0844 335 0897

At present there are no adequate means to ensure the competence and reliability of a company commissioned to carry this out.

BAFE scheme ‘Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment SP205’ has been developed specifically to address this situation, and will provide reassurance to the Responsible Person that they are doing everything possible to meet their obligations.

Don’t leave everything to chance.

Make sure that your suppliers are registered with BAFE.

WWW.BAFE.ORG.UK

Public Sector Procurement

15 50 EFFICIENCIES

HOW TO MEET SAvINGS TARGETS WITHOuT SCRAPPING FRONTLINE SERvICES Nigel»Scorey»

spending cuts across the public sector needn’t be at the cost of quality or service

Public sector workers have been under immense financial pressure to find savings for a number of years now and still the challenge increases with the current government now looking for further 40% cutbacks, whilst the demand for goods and services continues to grow,»says Nigel Scorey.

Traditionally,»the»top-down»approach»would» have»been»to»make»the»necessary»budget» cuts,»then»apply»pressure»on»managers» to»find»further»slashing»of»the»quality»or» quantity»of»services»to»meet»targets.»The» prevalent»attitude»amongst»beleaguered» managers»has»therefore»not»surprisingly» been» to» try» and» protect» services» and» quality»and»defend»requirements»in»their» area,»hoping»other»services»will»take»the» hit,» rather» than» embracing» change» and» working»collaboratively»to»find»solutions» that»reduce»cost»whilst»maintaining»service» standards.»

The»public»sector’s»receptiveness»to»the» value» and» advantages» of» professional» procurement» has» been» mixed» as» the» process» is» understandably» seen» as» cumbersome» and» often» the» buyers» are» seen» as» at» odds» with» the» needs» of» frontline»staff.»However»with»the»pressure» increasing,»more»and»more»public»sector» professionals» are» embracing» more» forward»thinking»procurement»solutions,» transferring»lessons»and»tactics»gleaned» from»the»corporate»world»into»the»public» sector.»This»is»by»no»means»a»revolutionary» idea,»but»with»a»change»in»attitude»from»

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

both»the»user»and»the»buyer»communities,» the»benefits»associated»with»this»approach» are»being»firmly»recognised.»

Long» before» government» accepted» the» need»to»look»at»cost»cutting»measures,»big» business»had»been»ravaged»by»recession.»

The»private»sector»learned»early»on»not»to» cut»back»on»the»customer»experience-»at» the»risk»of»losing»custom»and»the»business» itself.»Instead»it»forced»managers»to»work» across» functions» and» with» procurement» to»find»solutions»that»were»fit»for»purpose,» whilst»enhancing»the»consumer»experience» of» the» brand.» Local» government» needs» to» take» heed» from» grassroots» level» up.»

Spending»cuts»across»the»public»sector» needn’t» be» at» the» cost» of» quality» or» service.» Quality» frontline» services» can» be»delivered»within»available»resources» through»a»simple»review»of»a»spend»area’s» direct»impact»on»the»consumer»versus»the» savings» achievable» through» an» aligned» procurement» strategy.» The» programme» then»starts»with»low»impact»/»high»savings» areas,»quickly»proving»the»model.»Savings» are» delivered» through» a» fit» for» purpose» collaborative»approach,»consolidating»the» huge»range»of»suppliers»and»specification» in» use,» without» comprising» the» public» services»that»affect»millions»of»local»people.»

Now»is»the»time»for»widespread»change»to» embrace»a»new»way»of»resolving»cuts.»It» has»to»start»with»changes»in»attitude»from»a» defensive»and»protective»approach»to»one» that»embraces»the»need»for»collaboration» and»new»ways»of»working.»Then»changes»

15 EFFICIENCIES EFFICIENCIES 51 in»the»approach»to»procurement»from»a» process»and»criteria-led»doctrine»to»one»that» is»consumer»needs-led.»Finally,»managers» have»to»embrace»changes»to»supplier»and» specification»that»sees»one»fit»for»purpose» solution»utilised»across»functions»and»user» communities» from» the» multitude» in» use» within»one»organisation»today.»In»short,» embracing»change»to»develop»strategic» improvements»that»will»help»reduce»costs» and»improve»social»value.»

Embracing» change» on» this» scale» is» tough»for»any»organisation.»Public»sector» managers» can» benefit» greatly» from» combining» their» insight» into» their» areas» with»hands-on»procurement»professionals» operationally» experienced» in» delivering» such»programmes»on»both»sides»of»the» public» and» private» fence.» Providing» a» 360» overview» to» help» overcome» the» inevitable» challenges» of» defensiveness» and»protecting»services,»whilst»ensuring» that» procurement» teams» are» seen» as» understanding»the»needs»of»the»consumer» and» what» genuinely» constitutes» fit» for»

purpose.» Ultimately» developing» and» benefits»tracking»within»the»Council. delivering»a»truly»collaborative»approach» to»‘change»management’.»

In»year»one,»more»than»£1m»collectable» savings» with» significant» other» cashable» Procure4» is» one» of» a» number» of» and»non-cashable»efficiency»gains»were» small» businesses» that» provides» such» delivered.»In»the»second»year,»a»further» professionals» in» both» local» government» £1m»was»delivered.»The»tangible»savings» and»the»NHS.»It»was»engaged»by»Solihull» enabled»budgets»to»be»re-assessed»and» Metropolitan»Borough»Council»a»number» freed»up»resources»for»use»on»back»office» of»years»ago»to»achieve»cashable»savings» systems»which»then»supported»frontline» which» would» help» with» investment» in» a» services.» More» importantly,» through» new»shared»services»infrastructure.»The» broader» training» and» skills» transfer,» a» Council» knew» it» had» to» gain» control» of» refreshed»attitude»to»change»management» spending»and»reduce»the»high»number»of» was»established»which»ensured»that»the» low»value»transactions.»Procure4»analysed» Council»could»move»forward»independently» the» spend» data» and» current» processes» to»tackle»larger»and»more»challenging»areas» across»a»number»of»categories,»prioritising» of»budget»cuts»with»confidence»and»a»truly» temporary» labour,» telecoms,» strategic» collaborative,»cross»functional»approach.» highways,»print,»office»supplies,»property» services,»adaptation»works,»books»and»ICT» The» public» sector» is» dealing» with» huge» as»the»place»to»start»a»major»programme» spending»cuts»and»unwavering»demand» of» change.» » Approach» strategies» were» for»services.»Swift»change»is»hard»to»come» established»for»each»category,»including» by,»but»change»is»taking»place»in»some» use»of»eProcurement»tools»and»traditional» areas»of»local»government»where»forward» tender.»A»fully»auditable»savings»process» thinking» CEOs» embrace» learning» from» was» implemented» and» enabled» clear» other»sectors»and»new»models»of»service» delivery»are»developed»to»address»financial» pressures.»As» the» Solihull» Metropolitan» Borough»Council»contact»demonstrates,» through»embracing»change»on»a»number» of»levels,»local»government»can»adopt»a» truly»collaborative»and»proactive»approach» to» reducing» budgets,» utilising» simple» procurement» techniques» to» ensure» the» quality» of» frontline» services» and» the» consumer»experience»remain»the»priority» of»public»service»provision.»

In» recent» years,» Procure4» has» taken» learning» from» blue» chip» business» to» public»sector»organisations»as»diverse»as» Suffolk»Council»and»South»Staffordshire» NHS,»helping»under»pressure»managers» to»comfortably»meet»budget»constraints» across»multiple»categories.»

Nigel Scorey is CEO of Procure4 www.procure4.com Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procurement

16 52 EFFICIENCIES

HOW TO CuT YOuR POSTAGE COSTS

Communication is vital to government organisations but the estimated cost to the public sector is around £1.10 to send a letter, printed and delivered. One smart and efficient solution is helping to bridge the gap With» public» sector» spending» now» firmly» »“We»have»saved»weeks»in»staff»time»and» and»slashes»postage»costs.»Free»Dotpost» in»the»spotlight,»the»pressure»for»public» hundreds» of» pounds» using» Docmail» for» accounts»can»be»offered»to»all»citizens»so» services» and» healthcare» providers» to» large»runs»–»it’s»more»efficient»than»the» they» can» benefit» from» free» storage» and» deliver» more» for» less» is» greater» than» more»traditional»method.»Our»flu»campaign» delivery» of» documents» from» all» public» ever.»Public»sector»managers»must»try»to» alone»saves»us»over»£800.»By»using»EMIS» sector»departments.» balance»budgets»and»increase»efficiency» Web»searches,»we»save»even»more.»We» without»affecting»services»or»patient»care.» believe»that»other»medical»practices»should» Dotpost»was»used»recently»by»Ian»Brown,» benefit»from»it,»too.”»

Head»of»Revenue»and»Benefits»at»Wiltshire» Docmail» is» used» by» over» 20,000» Council. organisations» across» the» UK» as» a» vital» From» appointment» letters» and» clinic» communication»tool»and»has»printed»and» campaigns»to»result»reminders,»invitations» “The»Dotpost»system»is»slick»and»easy»to» delivered»over»68»million»letters»since»its» for» QOF» indicators» and» invoicing,» the» use,»and»we»are»hopeful»that»this»will»lead» launch» in» 2008.» Of» these,» a» third» have» capabilities» of» the» innovative» Docmail» to»a»reduction»in»our»usual»postage»and» been»sent»by»healthcare,»local»government» system» offer» limitless» options» for» stationery»bill.»The»Dotpost»system»helps» and»education»institutions,»including»GP» healthcare»and»medical»organisations.»In» us»to»access»customers»in»a»more»personal» surgeries,» schools» and» local» councils,» recognition»of»its»benefits,»CFH»Docmail» way»and»to»take»a»step»towards»our»ambition» representing»a»collective»saving»of»around» recently»secured»a»new»agreement»with» of»a»much»more»efficient»communications» £8»million»on»the»cost»of»traditional»print» GP»Systems»of»Choice»as»part»of»its»Lot» system.»It»has»also»allowed»us»to»manage» and»mailing.»

2»Additional»GP»IT»Services»Framework,» our»database»more»effectively,»and»meet» which» include» the» Docmail» hybrid» mail» customer’s» expectations,» in» terms» of» Docmail’s»hybrid»mail»solution»allows»users» solution.» electronic»delivery.” to»benefit»from»savings»in»administrative» time»and»postage»costs.»Faster,»more»cost- As»part»of»its»ongoing»strategy»to»develop» CFH» Docmail» Managing» Director» Dave» effective»and»secure,»Docmail»relieves»the» innovative»mail»delivery»mechanics»which» Broadway»believes»the»Dotpost»solution» labour»intensive»task»of»a»manual»postal» save»their»customers»time»and»money»as» is» an» ideal» way» to» deliver» documents» mailing,»especially»at»peak»times»-»all»for» well»as»well»as»reducing»the»impact»on»the» securely»in»the»digital»age. just»39p»per»letter.» environment,»CFH»Docmail»has»recently» launched»Dotpost,»an»innovative»online» “Mass»mailing»is»an»expensive»task»and» Through»the»secure»online»portal,»Docmail» document»delivery»solution.» email»is»wholly»unreliable.»We»believe»that» users» create» personalised» letters,» print» this»way»of»sending»letters»and»reports»–»is» and»deliver»a»high»quality»communication» Dotpost»is»a»secure»online»platform»that» a»great»alternative»to»print»and»post,»and» piece»securely»to»all,»or»a»selection»of»their» allows»users»to»store»documents»easily» of»course»much»easier»for»citizens»if»they» database.»

–»and»free»of»charge.»Recipients»simply» can»store»and»view»all»paperwork»in»one» register» using» a» unique» invitation» code» secure»portal.”

Martin’s» Oak» Surgery,» a» small» practice» and» they» can» view,» save» and» print» the» in»East»Sussex,»has»been»using»Docmail» documents»they»need»on»any»device»(PC,» for»four»years.»Practice»Manager»Carey» smartphone»or»tablet).»

Sinclair»says»the»difference»it’s»made»to» their»practice»is»significant: Dotpost»reduces»the»amount»of»paper»used» www.docmail.co.uk Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

54

COMMISSIONING

COMMISSIONING

17

the DemoniSation of the Private ProviDer

David Pearce looks at the commissioning of musculoskeletal physiotherapy and its outstanding improvement on patient care After» 18» months» and» thousands» of» amendments,» the» Health» and» Social» Care» Bill» was» passed» in» Parliament» in» March»2012.»The»writing»was»on»the»wall» for» NHS» Providers» and» staff» to» either» embrace» the» changes» or» disappear.» In» East» Kent,» GPs,» Commissioners» and» Independent» Providers» embraced» the» changes»and»became»the»pathfinders»for» the»development»of»GP-Commission-led» services,»delivered»to»Key»Performance» Indicators»which»would»provide»value»for» money,»and»safe»and»efficient,»high-quality» physical»therapy»services.

Working» as» the» superintendent» physiotherapist» for» the» Canterbury» and» Coastal»area»gave»insight»into»a»failing» NHS»physiotherapy»service.»New»to»Follow» Up»ratios»were»climbing,»Did»Not»Attend»» rates»were»as»high»as»20%»and»waiting» times» even» reached» a» maximum» of» 53» weeks»for»routine,»chronic»conditions.

In»partnership»with»local»GPs»and»Practice» Based» Commissioners,» EKTRA» was» established»in»2007»with»the»prime»objective» of» tackling» the» deplorable» » problems» in» East»Kent»NHS»Physiotherapy»services.»

An»independent,»contracted»service»was» commissioned»by»the»NHS»and»produced» a»truly»efficient»and»seamless»service»for»its» patients.»The»independent»management»of» patient»referrals»allowed»for»patient»choice» and» expansion» of» service» availability,» delivered»by»a»plurality»of»providers.»

Where» patients» were» previously» being» funnelled»into»secondary»and»primary»care» physio»centres»and»hitting»bottle»necks»of» high»waiting»times,»they»are»now»allowed» to»choose»to»have»their»physio»in»their»GP» surgery»near»home»or»their»workplace»or»

even»in»one»of»EKTRA’s»six»private»clinics.»

NHS» patients» can» now» experience» the» quality,»integrity»and»care»of»real»private» healthcare,»without»the»worry»of»having» to»find»the»funds»to»pay.»»This»is»what»is» commonly» referred» to» in» the» media» as» privatisation»of»the»NHS.» With» this» phrase,» media» outlets» and» politicians»have»incited»a»belief»and»scared» off» the» public,» reminding» them» of» past» problems»experienced»from»privatisation» of»the»public»sector»and»grossly»expensive» Private»Finance»Initiatives.»Ultimately,»they» have»demonised»the»private»companies»as» fat»cats»creaming»off»the»profits.»

Sadly,»we’re»not»shown»the»full»picture.»

Providing»a»contract»for»companies»like» EKTRA»is»similar»to»finding»a»decorator» to»rejuvenate»your»house.»You»tell»them» what»you»want,»they»do»what»you»want.»

You»don’t»worry»about»when»you’re»going» to»decorate,»the»materials»you»will»need,» the»planning»and»execution»of»the»process.»

This» method» is» tried» and» tested» in» all» walks»of»life,»yet»we»seem»more»reluctant» implementing»this»in»our»health»service.»

capacity.»Therefore,»demand»has»grossly» exceeded»supply!

Over» 8» years» of» experience,» EKTRA» has» seen» its» physical» therapy» services» bring»DNA»rates»down»to»4.98%»and»the» NFU»ratio»to»1»:»3.35.»Waiting»times»are» massively» reduced» with» appointments» booked» » within» one» week» and» urgent» cases»within»48»hours.»This»is»a»startling» improvement» on» the» historical» average» NHS» wait» of» 12+» weeks.» Numbers» and» statistics»have»become»a»very»important» element»of»controlling»overstretched»and» under» resourced» services.» However,» patient»care»is»paramount»as»each»single» patient»referral»is»the»most»important»asset» to»EKTRA,»a»growing»healthcare»company.

The»local»CCGs»benefit»from»our»services» as» it» reduces» their» financial» burden» by» decreasing»secondary»care»referrals»and» prescribing»and»administrative»costs.»The» service» provides» real-time» records» with» flawless» communication» between» GP/ physiotherapist» and» the» patient.» Both» GPs»and»physiotherapists»have»a»sense» of»ownership»and»control»over»the»service.»

Equally,»physiotherapists»are»empowered» This»aspect»of»NHS»service»is»not»being» and» supported» to» work» autonomously» privatised.» There» is» no» selling» off» or» with»flexible»working»patterns,»according» ownership»of»the»NHS.»EKTRA»and»other» to»demand.» providers» must» provide» the» service» to» agreed» NHS» standards» or» will» fail» and» If» you» want» to» provide» a» first» class» disappear»quickly.»The»contracts»are»zero- community-based»service»that»could»be» based»in»value.»They»cost»nothing»to»the» recommended»to»your»friends»and»family» NHS»when»not»providing»treatments»or»for» then»this»is»the»business»model»to»follow.» failed»appointments,»down»time»or»peaks» It»works. and»troughs»in»demand.»This»ultimately» results»in»highly»efficient,»cost»effective» David Pearce is Principal Physiotherapist and»VFM»patient»care.»»The»private»sector» and Company Director, EKTRA Ltd. is»only»providing»what»the»NHS»»failed»to»do» and»has»not»been»able»to»provide»within»its» www.ektralimited.com

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015

Public Sector Procurement

55

Market leaders in the supply of therapeutic services

An and Private Provider of Physical Therapies • Physiotherapy • Acupuncture • Osteopathy • Chiropractic We provide the right treatments at the right time at a convenient location such as a GP surgery or Health Centre.

All EKTRA therapists are experienced and fully qualified with a commitment to patient and customer care.

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015

Public Sector Procuremenr

www.ektralimited.com ( 0800 999 7919

Public Sector Procurement

18 60 COMMENT COMMENT

WHY SIxTH FORM FORM COLLEGES COLLEGES WHY ARE ARE SIXTH BEING CUT? CuT? Sixth form areare almost universally acclaimed as a success story in story in British education.

Sixth formcolleges colleges almost universally acclaimed as a success British education.

They have outperformed other schools and have a proud They have outperformed other schools and have a proud record record in giving adults a second chance to improve their skills and qualifications. in giving adults a second chance to report improve skills and qualifications.

Yet a recent from their the Sixth Form College Association (SFCA) shows that six years of cutsreport in 16-19from education fundingForm is having a devastating impact on Yet a recent the Sixth College Association (SFCA) shows that six years the sector and the choices available to students, says Ben Thomas.

Ben»Thomas of cuts in 16-19 education funding is having a devastating impact on the sector and the choices available to students.

Most»colleges»were»established»in»the» 1960s» when» a» group» of» progressive» Most colleges were established in the Local»Education» Authorities»established» 1960s when a group of progressive Local a»more»rational»and»efficient»approach» Education Authorities established a more to»delivering»post-16»education.»By»size» rational and efficient approach to delivering efficiencies»they»were»able»to»increase» post-16 education. By size efficiencies they the» number» of» courses» available,» were able to increase the number of courses provide» specialist» teaching» at» both» A» available, provide specialist teaching at level» and» in» vocational» training,» offer» both A level and in vocational training, offer better» extra-curricular» activities» and» better extra-curricular activities and provide provide»a»vital»bridge»between»school» a vital bridge between school and university and»university»education. education.

The» sector» has» seen» funding» cuts» The sector has seen funding cuts across across» England» of» 33%» since» 2011,» England of 33% since 2011, and the SFCA and»the»SFCA»report»found»that: report found that:

•70%»of»college»leaders»do»not»believe» •70% of college leaders do not believe that that» the» amount» of» funding» they» are» the amount of funding they are likely to likely»to»receive»in»2016»will»be»enough» receive in 2016 will be enough provide a provide»a»high-quality»education high-quality education •72%» of» colleges» have» dropped» •72% of colleges have dropped courses as a courses»as»a»result»of»cuts»since»2011 result of cuts since 2011 •76%» of» colleges» have» reduced» or» •76% of colleges have reduced or removed removed» extracurricular» activities» for» extracurricular activities for students students •81% of colleges are now teaching students •81%» of» colleges» are» now» teaching» in larger class sizes because of funding cuts students»in»larger»class»sizes»because» of»funding»cuts These cuts, along with a discriminatory funding system are placing the very future

These»cuts,»along»with»a»discriminatory» of the sector at risk. Many of the cuts have funding» system» are» placing» the» very» been in modern languages, science and future»of»the»sector»at»risk.»Many»of»the» maths - subjects ministers are purporting to cuts»have»been»in»modern»languages,» encourage. science»and»maths»-»subjects»ministers» are»purporting»to»encourage.»

The unanswered question remains, if the government is committed to a compulsory

The» unanswered» question» remains,» education till eighteen and sixth form if» the» government» is» committed» to» a» compulsory»education»till»eighteen»and» sixth» form» colleges» provide» such» an»

efficient» and» effective» education,» why» are»they»being»starved»of»funding?» colleges provide such an efficient and

effective education, why are they being Most»believe»it»is»simply»a»question»of» starved of funding?

fashion.» Because» sixth» form» colleges» are»not»new»and»the»government»is»so» Most believe it is simply a question of fashion. intent» on» demonstrating» the» success» Because sixth form colleges are not new and of» the» academy» and» free» school» the government is so intent on demonstrating programme,» they» are» blind» to» their» the success of the academy and free school success» and» unwilling» to» divert» any» programme, they are blind to their success resources»away»from»their»pet»projects.» and unwilling to divert any resources away from their pet projects.

It» has» also» been» suggested» that» the» experience» of» sixth» form» and» further» It has also been suggested that the education» colleges» in» general» is» so» experience of sixth form and further divorced» from» the» typical» ministerial» education colleges in general is so divorced background» of» private» school» and» from the typical ministerial background university» that» they» simply» do» not» of private school and university that they understand» the» value» and» benefit» simply do not understand the value and that»they»provide»for»those»from»more» benefit that they provide for those from more disadvantaged»backgrounds.» disadvantaged backgrounds.

Or»is»it»simply»that»sixth»form»colleges»

Or is it simply that sixth form colleges hark hark» back» to» the» days» of» planned» back to the days of planned provision by provision»by»the»hated»Local»Education» the hated Local Education Authority and Authority»and»progressive»educational» progressive educational ideas of the 1960s?

ideas»of»the»1960s?»

Whatever the answer, the dogmatic insistence Whatever» the» answer,» the» dogmatic» that academisation is the only solution for insistence» that» academisation» is» the» improving educational outcomes,increasing only»solution»for»improving»educational» student choice and eliminating the skills and outcomes,increasing» student» choice» productivity gap is actually making these and» eliminating» the» skills» and» problems worse in the post 16 sector.

increased.

Further»cuts»will»make»it»unsustainable.»

Colleges»are»already»reducing»vocational» Further cuts will make it unsustainable. courses» and» the» extra-curricular» and» Colleges are already reducing vocational enrichment» activities» that» have» made» courses and the extra-curricular and them»special.»The» number» of» colleges» enrichment activities that have made them in» England» has» already» reduced» from» special. The number of colleges in England over»110»to»93.»Many»are»considering» has already reduced from over 110 to 93. converting»to»academy»status»to»benefit» Many are considering converting to academy from» more» favourable» VAT» treatment,» status to benefit from more favourable VAT but» this» will» reduce» their» academic» treatment, but this will reduce their academic freedom»and»ability»to»innovate.» freedom and ability to innovate.

The» government» needs» to» re-think»

The government needs to re-think its its» approach» to» post» 16» education» if» approach to post 16 education if it wants it» wants» to» avoid» a» crisis» in» provision.» to avoid a crisis in provision. It is no longer It» is» no» longer» sustainable» to» protect» sustainable to protect schools budgets at schools» budgets» at» all» costs» and» at» all costs and at the expense of the post 16 the» expense» of» the» post» 16» sector.» sector. Sixth form colleges are an education Sixth» form» colleges» are» an» education» success story that we cannot afford to lose.

success»story»that»we»cannot»afford»to» lose.»

productivity» gap» is» actually» making» these» problems» worse» in» the» post» 16» The unplanned growth in academy sixth sector.» forms is having a perverse outcome in that

The government needs to rethink its approach to post 16 education if it wants to avoid a crisis in provision

forms» is» having» a» perverse» outcome» in» that» it» is» actually» reducing» subject» choice» and» learning» opportunities.»

Ben Thomas is uNISON national officer

it is actually reducing subject choice and The»unplanned»growth»in»academy»sixth» learning opportunities.

Public Sector Procurement|Sept/Oct 2015 Public Sector Procuremenr

As» sixth» form» colleges» are» being» squeezed,» the» choices» available» to» As sixth form colleges are being squeezed, students» in» many» areas» are» being» the choices available to students in many restricted»and»inefficiency»is»increased.» » areas are being restricted and inefficiency is

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