NHS 24 picks new provider

Scotland’s health advice service, NHS 24, has ended its near ten-year partnership with Clinical Solutions and chosen a new provider.

EHealth Insider can exclusively reveal Clinical Solutions has lost the patient contact and triage management application contract to Capgemini – an IT services and consultancy company with French origins.

NHS 24 launched the Strategic Frontline Applications Programme to manage re-procurement of applications, infrastructure and managed services last year.

The tender notice published in July 2010 divided provision of the service into two lots: the first to provide patient contact and triage management applications; the second to provide other additional applications, infrastructure and managed services.

An update to the NHS 24 Board in August stated bids for the first lot were received from BT, Clinical Solutions and Capgemini. NHS 24 today confirmed the preferred bidder has been named as Capgemini.

“Capgemini is the preferred bidder for the provision of its clinical application and patient contact management capabilities as part of a new IT infrastructure programme,” it said in a statement to EHI.

“The procurement process is ongoing and continues with an intention to conclude the Lot 2 stage of the procurement process in late October 2011. NHS 24 anticipates signing contracts with the successful bidders... in early 2012.”

A Capgemini spokesperson said the company was ‘delighted’ with the result: “We are obviously delighted to be working more closely with NHS 24, and will be working for a run up to contract signature. But at this stage it is preferred bidder status.”

The spokesperson said they were hopeful a contract would be signed at the “very beginning of next year”.

Clinical Solutions has been providing the core telephone triage and decision support software for NHS 24 since the service was launched in 2002.

It was subsequently involved in a significant upgrade of the technology behind the service in 2006.

A three year contract was then signed with Clinical Solutions in 2007 to continue provision of the service, and was further extended for two years in 2010 after key objectives and service levels were met by the company.

Clinical Solutions’ executive vice president of UK and Ireland operations, Shaun Hopgood, said the company would support the transition to the new provider.

“We continue to be the supplier of NHS 24 and will support the transition during the change over period.

“Clinical Solutions remains committed to providing our current and new clients across the globe with decision support and clinical content products to deliver high-value, low risk care and advice to patients.”

Bids for the second section of the tender to provide additional services, infrastructure and managed services have been received from BT and Atos Origin.

A final invitation to submit tenders is expected to go out next week, with an expectation on companies to respond by the start of October.

The successful bidders are then expected to liaise on how to provide the service before a contract, worth £50-£100m, is signed.

The contract is expected to run for 10 years with an option for a potential break after seven years.

The tender also states systems and solutions may be provided to other boards with payment made through NHS 24, in particular the Scottish Ambulance Service.