Morgan Cole has successfully helped Asteral close a deal which marks a ‘first’ for how managed equipment services are integrated into a NHS hospital build scheme.

Asteral, the leading vendor-independent Managed Equipment Service (MES) provider to the NHS, closed a £130 million, 35-year deal to provide a diagnostic and clinical equipment support service at three new hospital sites in Peterborough, as well as an existing one in Stamford. This is the first time that a 'vendor independent' MES has been integrated into a PFI hospital build scheme.

Being vendor independent allows Asteral to source all equipment from the entire marketplace regardless of manufacturer. This eliminates bias or quotas to specific manufacturers. Ultimately, being ‘vendor independent’ ensures the best fit of equipment to meet clinical needs.

Asteral will provide equipment as well as ongoing equipment maintenance, training and replacement programmes as part of the long-term 35-year Managed Equipment Service contract.

Simon McCann, Partner at Morgan Cole said: "This deal is significant as it leads the way for other NHS Trusts to follow in the future. Morgan Cole was delighted to be approached to help bring this deal to fruition for Asteral. I am very proud of our team and this shows that Morgan Cole can provide legal services to complex projects anywhere in the UK"

Morgan Cole was chosen to work on this project because of its Health and Social Care Team’s considerable PFI experience. The Team has worked on the framework for the construction of future Welsh hospitals (expected to deliver an initial investment of £250 million), acted for Philips Medical Systems on a £110 million-plus imaging equipment procurement and is working on the Department of Health’s current scheme to source services from the independent sector.

Asteral's Bid Director, David Cook, said: "Asteral brought in Morgan Cole because it demonstrated relevant experience and understanding of this type of deal. Its input was invaluable to us, providing great flexibility, depth of understanding and the breadth of skills across the full spectrum that we required."

Under the terms of the agreement, Asteral will be responsible for the procurement and replacement of all major equipment, design input to equipment rooms, installation and training of departmental staff at the new state-of-the-art facilities. The existing technical staff will transfer to Asteral, who will provide first-line maintenance and other support services. The latest digital diagnostic radiology and theatre equipment will be provided, with guaranteed replacement lifecycles and 'technology refresh'.

The level of integration achieved on the scheme is groundbreaking, including a "Working Hospital" guarantee, ensuring that major equipment items are fully operational when the new hospitals are handed over. Asteral has worked closely with the NHS and consortium partners, Macquarie Bank, Multiplex Constructions, Multiplex Facilities Management and Medirest, to achieve this.

Further details of this project can be obtained by contacting Simon McCann.

About Asteral

Asteral is the leading vendor-independent Managed Equipment Service provider to the NHS. It is headquartered in Reading with offices in Leicester and Peterborough. The company has a proven track record of managing medical equipment for the NHS over the last 10 years. Asteral changed its name from AssetCo Healthcare in early 2006. Asteral’s customers include University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Whittington Hospital NHS Trust and Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust.

www.asteral.com