University Hospitals Leicester and Northamptonshire Group: pre-market engagement roundtable
1pm – 2.30pm6 July 2026
London
techUK, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD
Following the morning webinar, the Group is hosting an in-person roundtable for a smaller group of suppliers to discuss its forthcoming outsourced IT services procurement in more detail.
About the Group
The University Hospital Leicester and University Hospital Northampton Group consists of three acute NHS Trusts:
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Trust
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Programme overview
The Group are preparing to procure a major Information Technology (IT) Outsourced service. This is a programme of considerable scale, complexity, and strategic importance, and it represents a critical component of the Group’s wider digital transformation agenda, aimed at strengthening the resilience, interoperability, and sustainability of all IT services.
The strategic intent is to establish a modern, high-performing digital infrastructure that enables improved clinical and operational outcomes. By transforming the way IT services are delivered, the programme will directly support better patient care, enhance user experience for staff, and enable innovation across the organisation. It will also ensure that our digital estate is secure, scalable, and aligned with future NHS priorities.
Session overview
The roundtable session will take place at the techUK offices in London on Monday 6th July, 13:00 to 14:30 and will provide an opportunity for more detailed discussion and supplier input, and will focus on the following areas:
Lot structure – Assessing the feasibility of procuring as a single, integrated contract versus a multi-supplier model involving specialist SME providers.
Service Integration and Management (SIAM) arrangements – If a multi-supplier model is pursued, the design of the SIAM layer.
Contract length and design – Initial consideration is a five-year term, reflecting the pace of market innovation; the Authority is seeking supplier views.
Transition timescales – Given the January 2028 current contract end date, assessing realistic mobilisation and transition requirements.
Who should attend
The Group are seeking to engage with experienced suppliers who can demonstrate a strong track record of delivering services of comparable size and complexity within the public sector, particularly within health and care environments. Suppliers should be able to evidence their ability to operate at scale, manage complex service integrations, and deliver high-quality, patient-centric outcomes.
You have received a link to book on to this event because you are a supplier on the Government Commercial Agency’s Technology Services 4 Framework (RM6190) and it is via this framework that the Trust plans to conduct the Pre-Market Engagement.
Please note that spaces for the in-person round table session are limited and will be allocated to suppliers who can meet some key criteria as follows:
Demonstratable strong track record of delivering services of comparable size (circa 40,000 users)
Demonstratable experience of working in the public sector
Evidence of ability to operate at scale, manage complex service integrations, and deliver high-quality, patient-centric outcomes
Due to space, there is a limit to the number of suppliers who can attend the round table, and these will be prioritised for suppliers that can meet the criteria above. There will be a waiting list, so if the event is showing as fully booked, then please do still register your interest and additional spaces will be allocated in the event of any cancellations.
We encourage interested suppliers to attend the webinar and register for the roundtable. If the session is shown as fully booked, please still register your interest, as additional spaces may be released in the event of cancellations.
University Hospitals Leicester and Northamptonshire Group: pre-market engagement webinar
Three acute NHS trusts — University Hospitals of Leicester, University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, and Kettering General Hospital — are preparing to procure a major outsourced IT service and are inviting suppliers to engage before the process begins. Hear directly from the Group's Chief Digital Information Officer on programme scope, strategic objectives, and the anticipated procurement approach. Open to all suppliers on the Technology Services 4 Framework (RM6190).
Robert joined techUK in October 2022, where he is now Programme Manager for Health and Social Care.
Robert previously worked at the Pension Protection Fund, within the policy and public affairs team. Prior to this, he worked at the Scottish Parliament, advising politicians and industry stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including rural crime and health policies.
Robert has a degree in Politics and International Relations (MA Hons) from the University of Aberdeen, with a particular focus on strategic studies and energy security. Outside of work he enjoys activities such as running, rugby, boxing and cooking!
Rachel joined techUK in December 2024, as a Programme Manager in the Health and Social Care team.
Prior to this, Rachel worked at a specialist health and social care public affairs agency, working with a range of organisations and trade bodies across the medical technology, pharmaceutical, digital health and social care sectors. As well as this, Rachel was part of the Secretariat for a number of health and care related All-Party Parliamentary Groups.
Rachel has a Masters in Global Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Leeds, as well as a first-class honours in Politics BA from Newcastle University.
Lewis Stewart
Programme Manager ‑ Health and Social Care, techUK
Lewis Stewart
Programme Manager ‑ Health and Social Care, techUK
Lewis brings a multidisciplinary background spanning health policy, stakeholder engagement, digital innovation, and elite sport. A former Commonwealth Games champion, he draws on the resilience, adaptability, and team-driven mindset gained through years of high-performance competition.
Before joining techUK, Lewis supported a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, where he led on constituency engagement and produced evidence-based research to inform debates, committee work, and policy advocacy. He has also helped shape youth wellbeing policy through the Youth Sport Trust, collaborating with government, education, and grassroots networks to drive impact.
Lewis has played key roles in health tech and mobility startups, helping to bring innovative solutions to market and improve user experience in complex systems. With a degree in Biochemistry and Pharmacology, he combines analytical thinking with a passion for evidence-led, people-centred change.
Junior Programme Manager, Health and Care Team, techUK
Viola Pastorino
Junior Programme Manager, Health and Care Team, techUK
Viola Pastorino is a policy, governance, and strategic communication specialist.
She joined techUK as the Junior Programme Manager in the Health and Care Team in April 2024.
She has obtained a Bachelor of Sciences in Governance, Economics, and Development from Leiden University, and a Master's programme in Strategic Communications at King's College London. Her academic background, leading up to a dissertation on AI policy influence and hands-on campaign development, is complemented by practical experience in international PR and grassroots project management.
She is skilled in qualitative and quantitative analysis and comfortable communicating findings to varying stakeholders. Above all, she is deeply passionate about the intersection of technology and government, especially how technology and global discourse shape one another, the processes that lead to belief polarisation and radicalisation of communities, and crafting strategic narratives that steer public discourse.
Outside of work she loves reading, live music light operation, and diving.
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techUK is helping its members navigate the complex space of digital health in the UK to ensure our NHS and social care sector is prepared for the challenges of the future. We help validate new ideas and build impactful strategies, ultimately ensuring that members are market-ready. Visit the programme page here.
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