3.5 As with conventional outsourcing of service delivery the Trust is able to propose additions, changes and reductions to the facility management services provided by THC Dartford's contractors. If no agreement is reached on the Trust's proposals (for example, on scope or cost) then the disagreement can be referred to the contract's Dispute Resolution Procedure. If an addition to the service is needed, and the Trust and THC Dartford cannot agree on the terms, the Trust can ask THC Dartford to tender in competition with others for the right to provide the additional service. If a new service provider is appointed, the Trust has to indemnify THC Dartford against any reasonable costs it may suffer as a result of the new arrangements.
3.6 A feature of PFI hospital contracts is that the core service, the delivery of clinical services to the public, is not part of the PFI contract. In this project, the Trust and THC Dartford have often had to discuss the implications of changes by the Trust to its clinical delivery (for example, the way in which a ward is being used) for THC Dartford's provision of facilities management services. In many cases THC Dartford has been able to adjust its service delivery without this being a formal contractual change but some cases have required changes to be negotiated to the contract terms and pricing. Following negotiations with THC Dartford, the Trust has paid around £600,000 for variations to the facilities management service. This has related to factors such as changing a ward use and additional services needed during winter periods when there have been exceptionally high levels of patients. The Trust sees this as a natural progression of the agreement as the services on the site develop.