The following has been passed to me by the EBME Manager here at Wexham to be posted.
We have recently had two Multi Service Vendor Presentations (single service vendor) from Phillips and G.E. for our X-Ray department.
I would like to hear from my colleagues, particularly those in Southampton and Hillingdon, which I am told by Phillips and G.E. have such contracts.
I would also like to know if they can actually make the savings they claim or whether they just cut the level of some or all of our contracts, and how does this affect the staff in X-Ray and EBME.
> GE claim to be able to save Savings were projected as between 10% and 15% but at the end of the third year these can be as high as 25%.
> Savings were generated by using Phillips economies of scale and were projected at between 20% and 30%. The fee and projected savings would be agreed at the start of the contract having examined all the existing contracts.
Do GE repair and support other companies equipment, as every other Multi Service Vendor I have spoken to say they will not support other manufacturers equipment.
NOTES TAKEN IN MEETING:
G.E.
The following outlines the key points discussed.
> GE Systems supply medical services; have 450 sites worldwide and nine years experience.
> Within the UK COMPRECARE has been running for six years. This is a comprehensive flexible both multi vendor and managed equipment sevice.
>GE is prepared to maintain other OEM's equipment. However, this tends to be for older equipment, as it is unlikly that under the MDA DB9801 Medical Equipment and Devices Management Directives that GE will be able to take account of manufacturers recommendations for new updates, have properly trained staff, correct manuals / tools and easy access to spare parts.
> Savings were projected as between 10% and 15% but at the end of the third year these can be as high as 25%.
> Monthly and quarterly review meetings for which GE produce asset reports, equipment history details and quality audits.
> GE takes ownership of the current maintenance contracts and will install asset management software called SOPHIE.
> A single account manager and may base an engineer on site if the trust has in excess of four hundred beds.
> Local workshops can be managed providing that heat/lighting is provided at no cost to GE.
> GE separate the offer into Radiology, Biomedical and Endoscopy and are prepared to implement the contract in stages.
> The relationship GE have with the OEM vendors allows leverage to increase the buying power and ensure that spare parts are available.
> Call centre and escallation proceedures. Staffed from 0800 to 1930 with a bleep system up to 2230.
> GE will replace equipment if the cost of maintenance exceeds the cost of replcement.
NHS Purchasing` and supply contracts allow a 4%saving on existing maintenance contracts wheras going direct can achieve a minimum of a 10%.GE can purchase Keymed components from alternative routes of supply.
> Components can be sourced from other countries.
> The uptime guarantees are Radiology 97%, Biomedical 90% and Endoscopy 95%.
> The Trust can ringfence EBME so as to exclude it from any offer but GE can still support the staff and provide "in house" training.
> The offer can be outlined in ascending order as being : Warranty HBS and parts - OEM contracts internal - OEM contracts external - In house support - EBME.
> Continuous training for professional staff.
> Any parts that are requested more than three times are stored on site.
> Service liability is assumed by GE and will monitor hazard notices.
> The results at other trusts have been that the average response time has dropped from 4 - 8 hours to between 0.5 - 4 hours.
> GE are looking for a true patnership with total flexibility, provide a real cost saving, service benefits and a one-stop shop.
> Given that the Trust have existing maintenance sevice contracts with varying termination dates and the COMPCARE service is provided at no direct charge, the Trust could novate contracts over to GE arguably without EU tender. Having etablished the new package and had sufficient time to test it, the whole contract could then be market tested.
> Contract period three years with a two year extension.
PHILLIPS.
> Royal Phillips Electronics established in 1891 employs 350,000 staff in 150 countries.
> Phillips Medical Systems emoloys 12,500 staff in 60 countries and in 1998 set up the Healthcare Services Group which in 1999 had 15% of the UK business and in 2001 had 21%.
> The service offering was a Managed Maintenance Service, which unlike the Multi Service Vendor system, allowed Phillips engineers to only maitain their own equipment. All other equipment being maintained by the OEM's.
> Pillips handle the maintenance contracts on behalf of the Trust, which could be novated to Phillips or be retained by the Trust.
> Savings were generated by using Phillips economies of scale and were projected at between 20% and 30%. The fee and projected savings would be agreed at the start of the contract having examined all the existing contracts.
> On some contracts the Trust may wish to share risk with Phillips and therefore increase the potential saving. This is usually on a 50:50 basis.
> Each contract with Phillips was tailored to the Trust's individual need but was reliant upon the Trust's having a full understanding of their requirement.
> The process normally adopted would be to review the asset register, examine the service history of each piece of equipment, review each Maintenance contract, establish the priorities and support required, decide which equipment would continue to be maintained 'in house', agree which were the preferred days for any routine maintenance, the response times required and the development and agreement of any sub contractors.
> Phillips offer training for 'in house' engineers and do not look to take over the local EBME operation.
>Phillips work in patnership with the Trust and were looking far a longterm contract. However, they were prepared to agree a contract term from one year upwards but would prefer one of three years.
> Phillips was trying to protect their market share by repositioning the maintenance sevice to one of more added value, which included detailed equipment history.
> Should the maintenance costs of particular pieces of equipment become excessive Phillips would consider replacing it at cost (funded by Phillips).
> Contracts are reviewed quarterly.
> Phillips stated that if the Trust has maintenance contracts with OEM's that were included under an NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency national framework agreement, therewas no need to tender the Managed Maintenance Service contract.
> Phillips would be prepared to include a penalty clause based on points.
Well ladies and gentlemen, your thoughts and comments. Particularly where your department has been taken over.
