Press releases

May 20, 2009

NHS Shared Business Services (SBS), a unique joint venture between the Department of Health and Steria, today announced 9 new contract wins with NHS organisations. The new business, which will provide finance and payroll business process outsourcing (BPO) services, has a combined value of more than €9.26 million (£8.2 million) and will extend services to approximately 15,000 NHS employees. 

Capitalising on its momentum from 2008, these new customers join more than 110 existing NHS organisations already using NHS SBS. Working with 25% of all NHS trusts, NHS SBS enables clients to deliver operational efficiencies through improved financial control, leading edge technology and shared best practice.

"We took the decision to move finance and accounting and payroll services to NHS Shared Business Services because we believe it will deliver real long term value to our organisation and support our drive to become World Class Commissioners," said Andrew Booth, director of finance and performance and deputy chief executive, NHS Derby City. "NHS Shared Business Services provides an impressive level of information through a range of comprehensive dashboards backed by a robust future proofed IT infrastructure. The Operating Framework recommends shared services as one of the most effective ways to assist in reducing costs and we believe that working in partnership with NHS Shared Business Services will support us in this area.

"John Neilson, managing director of NHS Shared Business Services, says, "NHS SBS has seen a dramatic increase in NHS organisations wanting to tap into our expertise and get the same benefits that other trusts have enjoyed through our unique service delivery model. We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with a growing number of NHS trusts and are confident in our ability to provide back office services that can make a big difference to their daily operations."

"We are delighted to welcome these nine new Trusts to NHS SBS, particularly as we continue to expand our services to deliver real value to the NHS. The recent Treasury Budget Report mentions NHS Shared Business Services as one of the ways to achieve real savings and we are working with all our clients to ensure they get a high quality, best value services".

The NHS Trusts which joined NHS SBS in April 2009 are:
- Derby City Primary Care Trust
- Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust
- Derbyshire Mental Health Trust
- East Midlands Ambulance Service
- East Midlands Strategic Health Authority
- Newham University Hospital NHS Trust
- South Downs NHS Health Trust
- Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust
- Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology

About NHS Shared Business Services: www.sbs.nhs.uk
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) is a unique joint venture between the Department of Health and Steria, and leads the way in developing and providing Finance, Accounting, Payroll, e-Procurement and Family Health Services to all types of NHS organisations.
NHS SBS provides a range of value added services to enable NHS trusts to focus on strategic decision making and business improvement activities whilst benefiting from operational efficiencies.
NHS SBS works with clients to transform their business functions and maximise their purchasing power. It delivers best-in-class, future-proofed services and actively promotes the sharing of best practice for continuous improvement between client trusts. NHS SBS was cited in the recent HM Treasury Budget Report April 2009 "improving efficiency in back office functions by building on the success of NHS Shared Business Services."
With over 1000 people employed and in excess of 4 million transactions processed per annum, NHS SBS works with 25% of NHS organisations to deliver operational efficiencies, freeing up funds to reinvest in frontline services.