NHS Arden & Greater East Midlands (GEM) Commissioning Support Unit has been appointed to provide both corporate and GP IT services on behalf of seven Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Essex.
The service provision will fall into two areas: corporate IT support including strategic planning and operational delivery; and GP IT support which will enable the transformation of primary care services.
The decision to appoint NHS Arden & GEM was the result of a competitive tender process, delivered via the NHS England Lead Provider Framework (LPF), conducted by Basildon and Brentwood, Castle Point and Rochford, Mid-Essex, North East Essex, Southend, Thurrock and West Essex CCGs. The contract, worth £14 million over a three year period, will cover key ICT services to support the seven CCGs, who serve a total population of approximately 1.8 million.
The appointment was based on the CSU’s successful track record in developing strategic partnerships that deliver information rich, technology enabled organisations. Over the past 12 months Arden & GEM has enhanced a strong and diverse technology portfolio, including new contracts with STPs and securing an instrumental role in the evaluation and dissemination of learning within the Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) programme.
“We are delighted to have secured this exciting opportunity to work alongside CCGs in Essex as a long term strategic partner. Our team is looking forward to providing high quality, resilient and secure IT services, establishing a foundation for successful delivery of local healthcare.”
John Parkes, Managing Director at NHS Arden & GEM CSU
The mobilisation and management of the service will be overseen by a dedicated regional director with extensive NHS leadership experience. The service will be fully operational from July 2018.
The current provider of services, North East London (NEL) Commissioning Support Unit, will be working closely with Arden & GEM to ensure a smooth transition, for both CCGs and affected staff.