11 Jan 2005

Interserve, the infrastructure and facilities management group, and client St Helens & Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust have received the ProCure 21 Award in the 2004 Building Better Healthcare awards. The accolade was for the creation of the new rehabilitation wards at St Helens Hospital, Merseyside.

The annual Building Better Healthcare awards, jointly organised by NHS Estates and HD (Hospital Development) Magazine, reward excellence and best practice associated with the design, provision and management of NHS facilities. This is the first year that ProCure 21 has featured in the awards. Nominated projects were assessed on a number of criteria including partnering relationships, an integrated supply chain approach, innovation and best value.

The winner was chosen from a shortlist of six projects, three of which (Withington Community Hospital's Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Sandwell Hospital's Emergency Care Centre and the St Helens Wards) - were delivered by Interserve as Principal Supply Chain Partner.

The winning project involved provision of a new 60-bed unit at St Helens Hospital, a busy complex in an urban setting. The first full project to be designed and constructed under ProCure 21, it was completed from outline business case in less than 18 months and within Trust budget – and set the benchmark for national ProCure 21 delivery.

Ann Marr, Chief Executive of St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust, said, "To win this national prestigious award, ahead of nearly 200 other schemes across the country, is fantastic news. It recognises the benefits and success of our partnership working with Interserve, the huge amount of work that was invested in the project and the commitment the Trust has to delivering quality patient care in modern facilities."

Endorsing Ms Marr's comment, Interserve Health's National Operations Manager Andrew Jowett added, "The team is delighted to win this important award which underlines our very real commitment to the aims and objectives of ProCure 21.  The fact that we were shortlisted with three separate Trusts shows that Interserve has strength in depth across the country, offering real value to our NHS partners."