Tackling Backlog Maintenance: Supporting Safer, More Resilient Estates

Backlog maintenance remains one of the most significant challenges facing NHS estates teams. Our recent webinar, Tackling Backlog Maintenance, explored how our Hard Facilities Management 2 and Building Safety & Fire Compliance Framework Agreements support estates teams to act quickly and safely.

Why backlog maintenance is escalating
Between 2019 and 2025, the estimated cost to eradicate backlog maintenance increased by 57.88%, highlighting the growing pressure on ageing estates. Key challenges include:

• Limited capital and revenue budgets, despite the government allocating £750 million through the Estates Safety Fund for 2025–26.
• Ageing infrastructure, with many buildings approaching or exceeding their intended operational lifespan.
• Increasing regulatory demands, including the Building Safety Act 2022 and recommendations following the 2024 Grenfell Inquiry.
• Shortages of skilled technical professionals in estates and maintenance roles.
• Rising materials and labour costs, driven by inflation.
• Net Zero requirements, requiring upgrades to inefficient systems and buildings

Together, these pressures create significant risks, from fire safety failures to business continuity issues and compliance breaches.

The role of the Estates Safety Fund
The government’s £750 million Estates Safety Fund supports organisations in addressing urgent safety risks, particularly small and medium scale projects. Eligible works include roof repairs, electrical upgrades, fire safety improvements and ventilation upgrades. The Fund is designed to enable rapid mobilisation rapid mobilisation. Whether you’ve received the funding or not, our PCR 2015 compliant framework agreements provide compliant procurement routes to deliver these works quickly and effectively.

How we can help
Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM 2)
Hard FM 2 covers a broad range of estates services and offers:

• Single service, bundled, or fully managed service options
• A strong mix of SMEs and national providers
• Support for Net Zero and wider sustainability objectives
• Flexible contractual terms including JCT and NEC models

Hard FM 3, launching in September 2026, will transition to governance under the Procurement Act 2023. It builds on Hard FM2 by:

• Expanded lots for air handling units, filtration, cooling, refrigeration and critical ventilation
• New hire lots for electrical and environmental backup plant
• A strengthened commercial model including national schedule of rates and training rates
• Greater transparency and cost certainty for customers

Building Safety & Fire Compliance
This provides a comprehensive one-stop solution for managing statutory safety obligations, including

• Suppliers accredited to British Standards, HTMs and industry requirements
• Asbestos management and removal services
• Installation of fire-resistant materials and structures
• Authorising Engineers across water, medical gases, ventilation, fire, lifts, asbestos and electrical safety

Routes to market
Both framework agreements provide PCR 2015 compliant procurement routes to appoint suppliers with confidence, with flexibility to embed organisational requirements and internal governance, two call-off options include:

Direct award: Enabling organisations to appoint a qualified framework agreement supplier where the framework scope and criteria are met, supporting urgent rapid mobilisation while maintaining pricing transparency through capped framework rates and procurement compliance.

Further competition: Enabling organisation to run a tailored competitive process among qualified framework agreement supplier, embedding their own requirements whilst ensuring cost certainty with transparent capped framework rates.

If you require support running a further competition, at Trust or ICS level, we can manage the end-to-end procurement process on your behalf. This reduces pressure on internal teams, ensures regulatory compliance, and uses data-led sourcing strategies to achieve best value.

Case study: Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
With estate buildings dating back to 1870, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust faced significant backlog challenges. The Trust used the Hard Facilities Management 2 Framework Agreement to procure a £2.5m per year measured term contract, enabling:

• Rapid response through a dedicated on site team
• Proactive asset monitoring and early intervention
• Reduced pressure on long term maintenance budgets
• A safer and more comfortable environment for patients, staff and visitors
• Minimal disruption through careful alignment planning with clinical schedules

What organisations should do next

1. Review contracts and capital programmes to identify opportunities aligned with available funding.
2. Prioritise high impact areas, focussing on critical assets and highest operational risk.
3. Engage early with us for support scoping, supplier engagement and procurement planning.

Conclusion
While backlog maintenance pressures continue to rise, proven and compliant routes are available to act quickly and safely. Our frameworks agreements offer rapid mobilisation, robust supplier assurance, transparent pricing and expert procurement support, helping you to maintain safe, reliable and resilient estates.

To talk to us about how we can support you, please get in touch.