The procurementof sterilisation equipment

For the New Princess Margaret Hospital Swindon

Client: Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust

Project: In 2002, the Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust procured a new acute hospital under PFI arrangements. The Trust had, however, retained the responsibility for equipping and managing the Hospitals Sterilisation and Disinfection Unit (HSDU) which was being built within the scheme to process, all reusable theatre instruments and other equipment, required to be sterile. The Trust has retained the responsibility for equipping and managing this unit.

Tenders were sought for the supply of washer disinfectors, sterilisers, a gas plasma steriliser and trolley washer disinfector. The Department needed to comply with the latest requirements for decontamination and use clean steam supplies from dedicated steam generators and sought expert advice from BRE during the tendering process.


Constribution: BRE provided a technical assessment of the tenders received. It included:

  • Evaluating tender proposals for compliance with the relevant Hospital Technical Memoranda.
  • Assessing the impact of the tenderers’ proposals on the building in terms of space, load and accessibility for maintenance.
  • Assessing the impact on the proposed services infrastructure in terms of ventilation, temperatures, electrical provision and water provision.
  • Comparing the proposals for specialist water treatment including softening and reverse osmosis.
  • Evaluating the proposals for the provision of clean steam supplies.
  • Carrying out a commercial comparison of the proposals.
  • Developing a scoring and evaluation system for the assessment of tenders.
  • Conducting interviews with the suppliers in conjunction with the trust.
  • Providing a report and recommendation to document the audit path of the decision making process.

Benefits: BRE were able to facilitate an objective decision making process and to assist the Trust in selecting safe compliant equipment whilst affording best value. BRE consultants also provided information regarding the suitability of the infrastructure to support the equipment.