NHS procurement body names council-owned alternative business structure to legal services framework agreement

NHS Commercial Solutions has appointed Essex Legal Services and 18 law firms to a four-year legal services framework agreement following a competitive tender procedure.

The procurement organisation said that to enable a flexible means for a client to appoint a legal adviser, the framework had an open structure, "i.e., the eight categories of law aren’t divided into specific lots.”

All providers demonstrated capability, experience and capacity to deliver services in the core categories of:

  • corporate and commercial law;
  • employment law; and
  • property law.

In addition, providers were invited to offer services in the non-core categories of

  • health law;
  • primary care law;
  • mental health law;
  • law relating to healthcare projects (including PFI, PPP and LIFT schemes); and
  • NHS governance and public law.

The firms appointed to the panel were:

  • Addleshaw Goddard
  • Axiom Stone Solicitors
  • Bevan Brittan
  • Birketts
  • Blake Morgan
  • Brachers
  • Bristows
  • Browne Jacobson
  • Capsticks Solicitors
  • Clyde & Co
  • DAC Beachcroft
  • ELS (Essex Legal Services)
  • Hempsons
  • Hill Dickinson
  • Mills & Reeve
  • Radcliffes LeBrasseur
  • Sintons LLP
  • Trowers & Hamlins
  • Ward Hadaway

The agreement is available for use by all NHS organisations, local authorities and charities, as well as the wider public sector.

The agreement commenced on 1 February 2019.

NHS Commercial Solutions is, with East of England NHS Collaborative Procurement Hub, NHS North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative and NHS London Procurement Partnership, a member of NHS Procurement in Partnership, a collaboration of the four NHS procurement hubs.

Earlier this month Essex Legal Services was appointed alongside 22 law firms by Greenfields Community Housing to a legal services framework agreement estimated to be worth up to £12m.