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Network Services 2 to provide wide range of services for all public sector organisations
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has begun the procurement process for a range of network services around the new Health and Social Care Network (HSCN), indicating that it could lead to spending of up to £5 billion by public sector organisations.
The organisation has published a prior information notice for a Network Services 2 framework, to be available to all of the public sector. It will cover services that could be used with the HCSN and the existing Public Services Network (PSN), although the latter can only be procured alongside HCSN connectivity.
It follows the earlier procurement of HSCN Access Services, a framework for HSCN compliant connectivity specifically for health and social care organisations.
CCS has not yet drawn up a collection of lots for which services will be offered, saying that this will be decided after the initial discussion with potential suppliers and customers. But it has pointed to a range of telecommunications services that could run over the HSCN.
These include data access, mobile, email, internet service provision, content filtering, intruder detection, video and audio conferencing, unified communications and call centre services. There are also likely to be supporting services including security, information assurance, acquisition, technology audit and site surveys.
The agreement will cover services that are compliant with the PSN and some at lower security levels.
The HSCN effectively extends the reach of the PSN from the health service to other parts of the public sector, and is aimed partly at strengthening the integration of health and social care. NHS Digital, which is managing the new network, has said it plans to take a measured approach to connecting new organisations, but hopes that a momentum will develop over the course of this year. |
