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Ryhurst and Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust are working together in the first full estates partnership in England which will enable the securing of funding for new development projects. The partnership's role is primarily to design, build, finance and operate new inpatient facilities; however the joint venture, Red Rose Corporate Services, will also lead in the delivery of the full spectrum of estates and associated support services needed by the Trust to deliver a growing and successful clinical services strategy.

Ryhurst and Lancashire Care are equal shareholders in a joint venture company that has three main aims;

• To deliver high quality operational estates management services
• To fund the capital for, and develop new in-patient accommodation
• To reduce the number of sites the Trust uses and deliver estateand asset efficiencies for the Trust

A joint venture involves two or more parties pooling their resources and expertise to achieve a particular goal. The risks and rewards of the enterprise are also shared. Red Rose Corporate Services will obtain funding for the Trust's new developments, such as the inpatient unit at Whyndyke Farm in Blackpool. The company will take responsibility for construction works, related activity and maintenance. On completion of the new unit the Trust will rent the space from Red Rose Corporate Services.

Dave Tomlinson, Director of Finance for Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust said:

"The setting up of Red Rose Corporate Services as a joint venture will enable the Trust to access the significant funds required to develop the accommodation and provide new inpatient facilities.

The joint venture will support the Trust in making the best use of resources by managing its estates effectively, ensuring that the facilities provided are of a high standard and remain so. There are a number of routes a Trust can choose with regards to funding new developments and managing its estate. The joint venture approach provides an innovative and flexible solution that will ensure good use of public money and the delivery of the high quality services that the Trust wants to provide for the people that uses it services."

Managing Director of Ryhurst David Hay said:

"The establishing of Red Rose Corporate Services will ensure that the Trust has a high quality estate and facilities. It provides the vehicle for investing in new facilities and will ensure that the Trust has modern facilities to deliver high quality care in the future."

Lancashire Care advertised in August 2009 for a strategic estates partner to deliver innovative solutions to the challenge of consolidating and managing the Trust's service environment across their area of operations and those of their Health and Care Partners. Ryhurst achieved preferred bidder status in June 2010 and the Partnership was signed in October 2010. Ryhurst are now performing the Estates and Facilities Management role for the Trust and moving forward a pipeline of future development works.

Ryhurst, in partnership with Lancashire Care through the Joint Venture Partnership (JVP) has delivered in the first 12 months:

• £1.6m savings across hard and soft FM
• Reduced consultancy costs by 50%
• Potentially saved £80m from capital funding costs over 40 years and
• Space utilisation improvements of 1/3 across Trust properties

Key Features

• Ryhurst appointed the first NHS Strategic Estates Partner
• Multi-site premises
• Trust and Ryhurst equal shareholder in JV
• Sharing risk and reward
• The partnership covers the Trust's whole estate of 1,189 square miles and a population of around 1.5 million.