Heartbeat: Trust signs long term facilities management contract for Midland Met
February 17, 2020
We have welcomed another big step in the countdown to complete the Midland Metropolitan Hospital, with the confirmation of the facilities management provider for the new building.
The organisation has secured the services of ENGIE, a leading energy and services company which aims to embrace a lower carbon and more efficient way of working.
Richard Samuda, Chairman, said: “This is a key long term relationship for us, with a shared commitment to local procurement, local employment and the living wage.”
The five-year contract secures provision for estate services in operating the new hospital in Smethwick when it opens in 2022.
Mark Harris, Divisional Managing Director, Services from ENGIE UK & Ireland added: “We are very pleased to be working alongside the Trust to bring their new flagship site online over the next two years, before becoming a strategic partner at the hospital.”
“ENGIE has long term experience in successfully providing facilities management services to a wide range of healthcare establishments across the UK, including primary care facilities and major acute hospitals. We look forward to working closely with the Trust and serving the local community.”
Chief Executive, Toby Lewis, highlighted the commitment of ENGIE to environmental sensitivity as crucial to the Trust’s contract decision.
He explained: “ENGIE is a major energy provider with a focus on sustainability. We know that our future will move towards a zero-carbon position and we want to be at the forefront of that movement. ENGIE provide facility management services in over 30 hospitals across the NHS and we look forward to working successfully together.”
Our estate maintenance and management services will also be moved across to ENGIE, during 2021. Toby added: “This is a specific decision related to the best interests of developing our professional estate function, and is neither something we are doing to save money nor something that starts a wave of other changes in our Trust. I want to acknowledge again here the brilliant work done across our estates teams and recognise the anger and frustration that the decision brings for some. Over coming months we will all work together to make sure that we keep what is best about how we run our estate now, and get the best from outside expertise, including in the energy and sustainability sector. The changes maintain all NHS staff terms and conditions, including pension rights.”