Crown Commercial Service and NHS England celebrate 3 years of transforming NHS infrastructure

A CCS and NHS England partnership, through the Construction Works and Associated Services 2 and ProCure23 commercial agreement, has supported the NHS in awarding £1.8 billion of healthcare construction schemes and securing a pipeline of future projects worth an extra £1.7 billion. 

The agreement enables the NHS to work with CCS to effectively procure design, construction and building services at capped rates. Previous iterations  have supported the NHS in procuring over £10 billion worth of projects, helping to build an NHS estate that is fit for the future.

It is NHS England’s preferred route to market for the provision of design and construction services to NHS capital projects. Since launching in spring 2022, 102 contracts have been awarded through the Gold Standard agreement. It directly supports the government’s commitments to modernise NHS infrastructure while implementing construction playbook principles, which include a focus on modern construction delivery, sustainability and social value.

During 2024/25 notable projects procured through the agreement included:

• a new, state-of-the-art adult mental health inpatient hospital at North View, Manchester, which provides 150 single en-suite bedrooms across 9 single-sex wards, supporting national ambitions to eradicate dormitory accommodation in mental health facilities.

• a new Community Diagnostic Centre at Newmarket Community Hospital in West Suffolk, which improves access to a range of diagnostic tests such as MRI, CT, ultrasound and X-rays.

• construction of a new 9-storey link extension to the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, which will expand patient capacity and modernise existing facilities.
  

• improvement to Urgent and Emergency Care services at Heartlands Hospital, through a new 10,000 square metre emergency department. 

Since the partnership began, over 50 NHS trusts have procured through the agreement, gaining access to benefits including:

• capped framework rates and fees and a robust pool of approved suppliers who are proficient with health/complex project design and construction
• NHSE implementation leads support, offered in an impartial capacity, free of charge
• call-off options to suit differing project needs, values and complexities while ensuring clients’ post-construction review compliance.
• templated New Engineering Contracts , guidance and information papers. 

The agreement also promotes innovation in modern construction methods. All suppliers on ProCure23 are committed to emerging construction technologies and net zero carbon techniques, ensuring innovation is at the forefront of all capital delivery within the NHS.

John Welch, Commercial Director for Estates at CCS, said: 

Over the past 3 years, CWAS2/ProCure23 has enabled trusts to deliver essential healthcare facilities faster, more cost-effectively, and with greater attention to patient and staff needs. We’re proud to see these projects continuing to make a tangible difference to healthcare provision across the country. CCS is passionate about our commitment to our National Health Service and working together to positively change patients’ lives.

Simon Corben, Director of Estates and Facilities at NHS England, added: 

ProCure23 builds on almost two decades of success of ProCure as a route to market for NHS capital projects. Now in its third year, this award-winning partnership with Crown Commercial Service has proven to be a cornerstone in addressing all aspects of the NHS’s capital requirements. This includes not only increasing our estate’s capacity with new developments, but also the crucial work of managing backlog maintenance, and reconfiguring spaces to better meet the health and care needs of our local communities.

The ProCure23 agreement

The ProCure23 agreement gives healthcare organisations access to approved suppliers who can help them to increase their estate’s capacity through a range of construction works and services to better meet the health and care needs of their local communities. 

Lots 1-3 are specifically for healthcare projects in England, while lots 4 and 5 are available to all public sector bodies in the UK. 

The agreement runs alongside our existing Construction Works and Associated Services agreement which helps support a wide range of major and minor building and civil engineering projects of all values for the public sector, helping our customers build everything from new schools and hospitals to prisons and houses. 

Together we are building an NHS fit for the future 

To find out more about our Construction Works and Associated Services 2/Procure23 agreement, please visit our framework page. To speak to a member of our expert team, please complete our online form or call us on: 0345 410 2222.

You can also visit our Estates webpage to learn more about our complete construction offering and check out our handy resources; from webinars, podcasts, to interactive guides – we’ve got you covered.