The health service’s procurement body NHS Supply Chain has given notice of its intent to establish a major commercial vehicle to support hospitals in deploying hardware and software, including AI

The NHS is planning to create a new £800m-plus purchasing vehicle to enable health-service organisations to invest in diagnostic technology tools, including the use of artificial intelligence to help detect diseases.

Central national procurement body NHS Supply Chain has published a commercial notice outlining its intent to launch a Digital Diagnostic Solutions agreement, which will serve as “the new framework for medical IT… software and hardware” for hospitals and other care facilities around the country.

This will include a wide range of medical technologies and the infrastructure and software to support them. Diagnostic and treatment areas addressed by these tools will encompass radiology, cardiology, ultrasound, X-rays and other imaging, endoscopy, intensive care,  and maternity services, according to the notice.

The framework, which will not be divided into lots, will also cover “diagnostic AI and associated hardware”.

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“Digital systems are the backbone of any hospital with every department requiring a way to store, manage and share their data across sites, regions and even whole nations,” the notice said. “This framework will offer customers access to a number of suppliers across different clinical areas that sit within the diagnostics, equipment and services area of NHS Supply Chain.”

It added: “This framework agreement will offer managed and non-managed service contracts as well as software only. Customers will have the ability to specify and create a fully bespoke digital diagnostic solution for different requirements that can range from a single site or department to a solution across multiple departments or trusts.”

NHS Supply Chain has not yet commenced a formal procurement process and, before doing so, “anticipates engaging with suppliers of these products” through a feedback exercise intended to inform the tender process.

The buying body then intends to open bidding on the framework shortly before Christmas. Contracts are scheduled to be signed with chosen suppliers in July, with the agreement to come into effect from the following month.

For these successful bidders, the framework is expected to be worth about £700m, plus VAT – equating to a total of £840m.