The way healthcare projects are procured and delivered matters.
From strategic planning and design through to construction consultancy and the delivery of ancillary services, public sector clients need confidence that the organisations they appoint can deliver quality, value, compliance and measurable outcomes.
That is why frameworks such as the Healthcare Planning, Construction Consultancy & Ancillary Services (HPCCAS) Framework play such an important role in supporting NHS and wider public sector organisations.
We are proud that Oander is a supplier on the HPCCAS Framework, which has achieved Gold Standard Verification from NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS).But what does that actually mean?
A framework built around better procurement
The HPCCAS Framework provides a compliant route for NHS and public sector organisations to access a range of specialist healthcare planning, construction consultancy and ancillary services.
For clients, the value of a framework goes beyond simply providing a list of suppliers. A well-designed framework can provide greater confidence around procurement, supplier capability, quality and value, while helping organisations access the specialist expertise they need to deliver complex projects.
This is particularly important within the healthcare sector, where construction and refurbishment projects often need to be delivered within live environments, around patients and clinical services, and alongside demanding operational, financial and regulatory requirements.
What does Gold Standard Verification mean?
The Gold Standard represents recognised best practice in the development and operation of public sector construction frameworks.
The principles behind the Gold Standard are closely aligned with the Government’s Construction Playbook, which sets out guidance and best practice for assessing, procuring and delivering public works projects and programmes.
This places greater emphasis on achieving the right outcomes rather than simply focusing on lowest cost.
It also reflects the increasing importance of:
- Quality and whole-life value
- Robust and transparent procurement
- Sustainability and carbon reduction
- Social value
- Supply chain resilience
- Collaboration and early engagement
- Consistent and measurable performance
These principles are particularly relevant to healthcare construction, where decisions made during planning, design and procurement can have a significant impact on the long-term performance, cost and sustainability of healthcare estates.
Supporting NHS and public sector clients
For NHS and public sector organisations, a Gold Standard Verified framework can provide an additional level of confidence when accessing professional services.
It demonstrates that the framework itself has been independently assessed against recognised procurement best practice, helping to provide a robust and transparent route to market.
Importantly, this isn’t simply about procurement compliance.
It is about creating frameworks that support better outcomes for public sector clients and the communities they serve.
The Construction Playbook places a strong emphasis on value, with public procurement expected to consider quality, performance, sustainability and social value alongside cost.
The same principles are increasingly central to the future of healthcare estates.
Sustainability and social value
Healthcare organisations are facing the dual challenge of delivering essential investment in their estates while also addressing carbon reduction, sustainability and wider social value objectives.
Construction and consultancy frameworks have an important role to play in supporting these ambitions.
The Construction Playbook and associated guidance emphasise the need to incorporate sustainability and carbon considerations into procurement and evaluation, rather than treating them as an afterthought.
For NHS clients, this provides an opportunity to consider not only what is being delivered, but how it is being delivered and what wider benefits can be generated through investment in healthcare infrastructure.
Proud to be part of the HPCCAS Framework
At Oander, we are proud to be recognised as a supplier on the NHS SBS Healthcare Planning, Construction Consultancy & Ancillary Services Framework and particularly proud that the framework has achieved Gold Standard Verification.
For us, this recognition reinforces the importance of the standards we work to across our healthcare consultancy services — from project management and quantity surveying through to cost management, contract administration and principal designer services.
More importantly, however, the Gold Standard status of the HPCCAS Framework represents a positive step for the wider healthcare construction sector.
Frameworks that promote transparency, quality, value, sustainability and social value help create the foundations for better projects and, ultimately, better outcomes for NHS organisations, patients and communities.
We are proud to be part of that journey.
