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Primary
Focus on ProCure 21
Healthcare
Environments Limited are the primary supply chain member (PSCM)
leader, for health facility planning, within the Interserve
Projects Services Ltd ProCure21 principal supply chain partner
(PSCP).
With the
extended trawl for the 12 successful PSCP behind us, health
construction is now set to reap the benefits of ProCure21.
Healthcare
Environments has been working towards its role as a PSCM,
achieved during the regional pilot phase, since the inception
of ProCure21 in May 2000.
The sustained
and continued effort required to successfully achieve selection
as one of the 12 PSCP's in September 2003 has been both challenging
and rewarding. Our decision to pursue accreditation for ISO9001:2000,
achieved in September 2002, was strongly influenced by our
experience of ProCure 21. The experience helped to reinforce
our process mapping, benchmarking and continuous improvement
skills: all essential strengths supporting the ProCure 21
concept.
What particularly
attracted us to ProCure21 was the increased recognition, commenced
in the PFI Design Protocol, of the distinct role health planning
must contribute to projects as an essential part of the supply
chain.
The rigorous
selection process, culminating in an intensive series of interviews,
workshops and site visits over a ten day period should provide
ample evidence for client NHS Trusts of the competencies and
track record of the 12 selected PSCP's.
The major
benefit gained by NHS Trust clients from the five year framework
agreement is the dramatic reduction in the tendering period,
which will typically mean a 12 month saving in the time needed
prior to commencement of work on site.
Another
significant improvement derives from the need to demonstrate
the closer spirit of collaboration that has evolved within
the supply chains, leading to leaner processes and greater
efficiency.
Efficiency
will be further enhanced by the mobilisation of regional teams,
in the vicinity of NHS Trust projects, with local suppliers
already integrated as part of the supply chain.
Each PSCP
will confer the competitive advantages of its own research
and development, spurred by the ProCure21 selection process,
which is likely to result in many innovative solutions being
introduced to the health construction sector.
Over the
longer term, projects will gain from the benchmarking of earlier
schemes through the adoption of performance related standards
and continuous improvement.
From our
perspective, ProCure21 participation will yield many benefits
for all members of the PSCP's:
If ProCure21
gains the same level of acceptance that was experienced with
the regional pilots, which dramatically exceeded the target
workloads, and becomes the primary procurement method, Healthcare
Environments is ideally placed to win even more work opportunities.
The intention that ProCure21 will become the world leading
method of procurement is likely to support our future efforts
in exporting our knowledge to projects overseas.
Other
benefits are:
- increased
recognition of the health facility planning role,
- stability
of long term partnering relationships with the supply chain
- eradication
of conflicting needs of design team members
- collaboration
with other members of the supply chain
Healthcare Environments is already benefiting from collaboration
through the active development of online information systems
that will make our knowledge, gained from almost eleven years
of practice experience, more widely available to support NHS
Trust developments. With the support of other members of the
team we are now able to realise a long term ambition of an
online 3D briefing system that is fully integrated with the
information requirements of all professional disciplines within
the construction industry.
At Healthcare
Environments we believe the £2.2 billion ProCure21 initiative
presents an unprecedented opportunity to significantly improve
the procurement of healthcare facilities through partnership.
We look
forward to a buoyant, stable and well monitored market environment
that will enable us to bring our much needed skills and knowledge
to support a wider audience of NHS Trust clients aiming to
improve the patient experience.
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