Two new Community Equipment Services contracts start in Southampton and Portsmouth

NRS Healthcare has successfully started its Integrated Community Equipment Services (ICES) contracts on time with Southampton and Portsmouth Councils and CCGs.

The provider, which is a leading manufacturer of rehabilitation equipment, won the ICES contract in December 2019, which then started on 1st of July 2020. It involved a complex implementation including the sourcing, fit-out and stocking of two new depots; one for each city.

According to NRS Healthcare, the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent UK lockdown created some barriers for the implementation of the new community equipment service.

This meant that a lot of the face-to-face work and meetings normally involved in a transition programme had to be conducted online, including meetings with commissioners, transferring and recruiting staff, and the training of prescribers.

Despite these implementation challenges, NRS Healthcare confirmed both depots opened on time and the contract started work, to the specification, on the 1st of July 2020 as was originally intended.

Paul Frampton, Commissioner for Community Equipment Services at Southampton City Council / Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “The lockdown presented significant challenges such as obtaining materials and other restrictions however NRS were able to fully implement the new service as per the service specification for the 1st of July 2020.

“NRS were resourceful and demonstrated excellent organisation and planning during this period. They were responsive and flexible and kept Commissioning regularly updated on their progress.”

NRS Healthcare also recently started its new Technology Enabled Care (TEC) contract for West Sussex County Council and NHS, which will see the provider develop new technology offerings, assess residents for TEC services and deliver TEC to residents.

David Stokes, Commissioning Contracts Officer at Portsmouth City Council, added: “Overall the mobilisation plan was fully accomplished in the face of many limitations due to the Covid-19 situation and this was very much due to the determination and hard work of the NRS management team and the operational staff brought in to assist, from nearby facilities. Collectively they were very responsive in helping to overcome any barriers and obstacles that were encountered.”