Baxter healthcare named as the single supplier for a new infection control surveillance framework.
Intended to replace “time consuming” systems that were highlighted by covid-19.
Trusts still relying on “paper and Excel spreadsheets”.
“Covid-19 has highlighted the gap in their processes and how ineffective the current systems – if they use one – are,” the contract notice said.
The NHS has awarded an American healthcare giant a £20m contract to provide a new national infection control surveillance system.
Baxter Healthcare is the only supplier and will provide an “electronic infection control clinical surveillance system” to replace current “paper and Excel spreadsheets”.
Countess of Chester Hospital Foundation Trust set up the framework for NHS trusts to use and backdated the contract to start on 1 February 2023, running for two years, with the option for two further one-year extensions.
According to the contract notice, most trusts manage infection control surveillance through “various systems”, described as “time consuming and [at] risk of error”.
It added: “Trusts are finding that they do not have a robust infection control system to monitor and manage their patients. Covid-19 has highlighted the gap in their processes and how ineffective the current systems (if they use one) are.”
This new national system is intended to give NHS trusts an option that would “streamline processes and reduce time spent on administrative and reporting tasks”.
Baxter describes itself as one of the “largest suppliers” to the NHS and said it “collaborates with the NHS to help introduce new care pathways to bring cost and time efficiencies”.
Renewal Options
The term of this framework agreement will be two years (24 months) from the commencement date with an option to extend twice for a further one year (12 months) on each occasion. The maximum duration of this framework agreement will be four years (48 months).