Covid Scotland: £10 million increase in cost of work on NHS buildings

A contract for minor work on NHS buildings across Scotland has been extended by a further six months and £10 million.

NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) said the increase in cost is due to the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic.

The contract, which began in October 2015, was originally set to end four years later but has been extended several times.

The most recent six-extension will see it run to March 2022, with a ten per cent increase in cost from £94 million to £104 million.

NHS buildings across Scotland require minor building works. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Media

Building works across 34 locations across Scotland are included, covering all health boards.

NSS refused to say whether the increased in cost was related to higher costs, inflation, or other impacts of the pandemic.

Gordon Beattie, NSS National Procurement Director, said the change would allow necessary supply to continue through to March.

He said: “To meet the demands of the Scottish Health and Social Care sector during the current Covid-19 pandemic we recently modified the contract for the Minor Works Framework.

"This allows us to cover the cost of minor works across the NHS Scotland estate until March 2022.”

He added: “The ten per cent increase in contract ceiling value is attributable to the impact of Covid-19 and to allow continued use of the framework to maintain necessary supply through to 6 March 2022.

“In these challenging conditions NSS is delivering maximum value for the people of Scotland while ensuring that our health service is properly equipped to contend with the impact of the pandemic.”

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