NHS Lanarkshire has completed the contractual septennial review of the soft facilities management (FM) services at University Hospital Hairmyres and agreed a new price for their ongoing provision.

NHS Lanarkshire’s strategic aim is to bring these services – which include domestic, catering, portering, switchboard and security – in-house, so that the staff providing them are directly employed by the NHS. This is in line with the Scottish Government policy.

Heather Knox, chief executive of NHS Lanarkshire, said: “We have a strong desire to see these services provided by an in-house team.

“However, we are constrained by the historically negotiated contract with Prospect Healthcare (Hairmyres) which we must work within. Soft FM services at University Hospital Hairmyres will therefore continue to be delivered by an external provider ISS Healthcare.

“The current contract for soft FM services requires value for money tests to be carried out every seven years. We have recently completed the third such septennial review.”

At University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire has a separate contract in place with Summit Healthcare. Under the contract, Soft FM services at the hospital are currently delivered by an external provider Serco.

A septennial review of soft FM services at University Hospital Wishaw is underway.

Colin Lauder, Director of Planning, Property and Performance, said: “NHS Lanarkshire is currently in discussion with Summit Healthcare about soft facilities management services at University Hospital Wishaw. We will be in a position to provide an update once the discussions have concluded.”

Soft FM services at University Hospital Monklands are provided in-house by NHS Lanarkshire.

The staff employed by Serco and ISS Healthcare delivering the services within University Hospital Hairmyres Hospital and University Hospital Wishaw receive Agenda for Change terms and conditions which apply to NHS staff.