Website of the Department of Health

Investment Guidance RouteMap

The RouteMap provides investment guidance in two different formats – life-cycle of an investment and five-case model - together with an A to Z of guidance and links to other useful information.

• Investment Guidance RouteMap

Presentations on PFI

This is a new section to the PFI pages. The Private Finance Unit runs regular PFI Trust Forums at which both public and private sector bodies make presentations. Those presentations which we think are relevant and of interest to Trusts will be added to this section.Please note that these documents are not official Department guidance. Any queries regarding content which may seem to be at variance or take a different approach to official guidance are to be directed to the PFU Team for clarification.

• Download presentation: Specifications and procurement timetable/progress of the new Central Middlesex Hospital, by David Powell, Project Director of the NWL Hospitals NHS Trust, and Bernard Chauvet, PFI Director of Bouygues UK (PDF, 1201K)

PFI guidance

For the main PFI guidance manual go to the first link ('PFI Guidance'). Below that are three additional specialist guidance documents ('Composite Trader', 'Treasury Guidance' and 'Revision to PFI guidance - 'Fair Treatment of Staff' and observing TUPE') which have appeared subsequently. Below these are some more general information documents.

• PFI guidance

The design brief framework for PFI public sector comparators at OBC stage, October 2004

Published: 01/10/2004

This guidance informs trusts of the design requirements of the Public Sector Comparator to be included in an Outline Business Case submission for approval. It describes the practical steps project directors need to take, using existing guidance, to develop the PSC into a robust proposal that establishes the trust's design objectives

• The design brief framework for PFI public sector comparators at OBC stage, October 2004

New standard preliminary invitation to negotiate (PITN)

Guidance notes issued by the private finance unit at DH which form part of an initiative to streamline the procurement of PFI schemes. The content and structure of the questions are mandatory for all trusts developing invitations to negotiate.

• New standard preliminary invitation to negotiate (PITN)

New standard prequalification questionnaire

Documentation that standardises the information requested from bidders, and can be used to select a long list of bidders under either the 4-2-1 or 3-1 PFI procurement models.

• New standard prequalification questionnaire

New standard output specifications

The standard documentation builds on best practice and experience, and will save time and cost for both the NHS and the private sector. The standard output specifications have been designed to be applicable to in-house and outsourced provision of support services, as well as to PFI schemes.

• New standard output specifications

Standard contract

This is the latest version of the standard form project agreement introduced by the NHS Executive.

• Standard contract

Land buildings

This guidance sets out the principles which apply when land assets are included in PFI deals.

• Land buildings

Design development protocol

This guidance sets out the design development process for a PFI scheme in the NHS as it moves through the stages of bidding, selection and acceptance of a particular design.

• Design development protocol

Generic economic models (GEM)

Guidance for trusts to aid the business case process of selecting the option that provides the best value for money to the public sector for capital investment. Updated 5 November 2004.

• Generic economic models (GEM)

Good practice guide: learning lessons from post-project evaluation

The advice offered in this evaluation is aimed at all NHS bodies and advisers who are involved in the development of capital schemes, both publicly or privately funded.

• Good practice guide: learning lessons from post-project evaluation

Improving PFI procurement

This guidance sets out a number of initiatives that are designed to speed up PFI procurement and ensure that the NHS obtains the best value from the current market.

• Improving PFI procurement

Changes to the Treasury green book

The Treasury publication Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government is also knows as the Green Book. This page provides information on the continual updating of the guidance on best practise in the appraisal and evaluation of policies and projects.

• Changes to the Treasury green book

Investment in IM&T in the NHS

This section provides general information on Information Management and Technology (IM&T) investment policy, and it also includes guidance to help NHS organisations that are developing IM&T schemes.

• Investment in IM&T in the NHS

Social Care PFI Initiative

The private finance initiative (PFI) procurement method may also be used by Local Authorities (LAs) for the development of adult social care.

• Social Care PFI Initiative

Results of the latest prioritisation round for major schemes

The results of the 2004 prioritisation exercise for capital investment schemes with an expected capital cost of £40m or more were announced in July. Details are in the Press Release below:

• Press release 27 July 2004