Serco to pull out of Barts Health facilities management in 2023
The company which runs portering, laundry, cleaning and security services in our hospitals has handed in its notice with effect from the end of April 2023.
Serco employs around 1,700 people across the Barts Health group, also including receptionists, helpdesk and patient catering services, and has pledged to ensure a smooth handover for all of them.
The group executive is now considering future arrangements, which could include bringing facilities management in-house.
Mark Bagnall, group director of estates and facilities management, said: “There will be no change to the day-to-day roles of contracted staff who remain valued members of the Barts Health family. Everyone permanently employed by Serco at the handover will be eligible to transfer to a new provider under existing terms and conditions.”
The company says it is exercising its right to terminate the soft facilities management contract a year early because it is losing money on the deal agreed five years ago. The trust rejected a number of proposals to substantially increase the amount we paid for various soft FM services in future.
Simon Chipperfield, Serco’s managing director for health, said: “I would like to thank our team at Barts Health for their hard work, especially during the pandemic, and reassure them that we will continue to support them through the next 18 months. We are in close contact with the Trust about their future plans and remain interested in the opportunity to provide services beyond the end of the current contract.”
The Serco contract was due to end in June 2024 in any case, and included provision for either side to terminate early from this month providing they gave 18 months’ notice. Serco said the move did not affect its other NHS contracts elsewhere.
Mr Chipperfield said: “We have not made this decision lightly, and remain fully committed to delivering the high quality services we provide over the next 18 months, as well as ensuring there is a smooth transition to the new arrangements that the Trust puts in place.”