Case study: Transforming the IT provision for 3 UK Hospices

Delivering better service, stronger cyber security and major cost savings through a structured, independent tender.

Director of Finance & Resources

“It was a win-win-win situation with better quality services and a broader range of services all for less money!”

Director of Finance & Performance

"A reliable and 'fit for purpose' IT provision is vital across all areas of the hospice from patient care, fundraising, compliance and back office support. We did not have the appropriate expertise within our current IT department to support an in-depth and critical review of our current provision with the view to go out to tender and, therefore, approached Simon. His knowledge of the sector and IT was indispensable, and Simon was able to deliver information in technical and non-technical language.

Simon was able to obtain all the necessary information from our current MSP provider to be able to put together a very thorough tender. He was by our side through every stage of the process including post transition to the new provider. "

Director of Transformation & Improvement

“ Simon delivered exceptional support throughout our tender process. His professionalism, attention to detail, and ability to manage complex requirements ensured a smooth and successful outcome. His combined deep expertise with clear communication, made the entire experience efficient and stress-free……and he readily supplies donuts to keep you going through the long meetings!

I would highly recommend Miratec’s services to any organisation seeking a trusted partner for a IT procurement or tender project.”

Executive Summary

Three hospices, each facing rising pressure on their IT services and spend, came together to run a joint but separately contracted tender process. With Miratec Solutions leading the strategy, assessment and procurement, all three organisations achieved significant improvements in their cyber security provision, service quality and operational stability. Two achieved major financial savings of £165,000 and £74,000 over three years, while the third secured a modern, future-ready service for only a marginal uplift of £4,000 over three years.

All three hospices benefit from a far more resilient, modern and responsive managed service provider (MSP) - including enhanced cyber protection, out-of-hours support for clinical teams and a £0 transition cost.

The Challenge

Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, The Hospice of St Francis and Isabel Hospice had each been with their respective IT suppliers for between three and ten years. Over that time, all the suppliers had gone through acquisitions, and the level of service had become inconsistent, often declining periodically.

Although each hospice operated separately, they were experiencing the same challenges:

Inconsistent response times and unstable service levels, affecting staff efficiency and confidence
IT environments that had not kept pace with modern cyber or infrastructure standards
Concerns around cyber preparedness, incident response capability and ensuring they maintain DSPT compliance
A growing need to protect clinical operations, where system outages can directly impact patient care
Contract end dates approaching - presenting a crucial opportunity to review and modernise

The leadership teams recognised this was the right moment to explore the market - but needed independent support from someone who truly understands IT managed services and how to run a fair, effective tender.

Our Approach

Miratec Solutions managed the entire process from assessment to award, ensuring each hospice maintained full autonomy while benefiting from shared insight and collaboration.

1. Individual assessment

We met with each hospice to understand:

their current infrastructure and cyber posture
pain points and operational frustrations
spend levels and contract structures
what “good” looks like in their individual view

From this, we gained a clear view of each hospice’s IT maturity, risk position and spend relative to industry norms.

2. Future-state specification

We created a detailed tender pack that included each hospice’s current IT provision, the proposed future specification, organisational context and a full response framework for MSPs to complete.

This formed the shared, structured documentation the hospices took to market.

3. Structured tender process

Over three months, Miratec Solutions ran a full competitive tender

7 initial suppliers invited
Reduced to 5 for interview
Comprehensive scoring, evaluation and analysis
Clear, evidence-led recommendations
Joint interview panels, supported and facilitated by Miratec Solutions

Each hospice retained full decision-making authority, while benefiting from shared knowledge and a unified process.

The Results

The project delivered significant, measurable improvements for all three hospices:

Financial Outcomes (over 3 years)

One hospice achieved savings of £165,000
Another achieved savings of £74,000
The third saw a small uplift of £4,000 for a significantly enhanced service

Operational & Cyber Improvements

All three hospices secured:

A considerably stronger cyber provision, including Managed Detection & Response (MDR), Identity Threat Detection & Response (ITDR), annual penetration testing and Cyber Essentials certification support
A modern, streamlined IT environment with reduced legacy systems and stronger overall security
Out-of-hours IT support tailored specifically to clinical teams
Higher service levels, clearer accountability and better visibility
A £0 transition fee as part of the contract award

All of the hospices benefit from a modern, stable and cyber-resilient IT service designed to support the sensitive nature of hospice work.

Conclusion

By following a structured, impartial tender process, each hospice secured outcomes that would have been difficult to achieve through a standard renewal. The approach delivered better value, stronger security and a more dependable IT foundation to support clinical care.

Whether working jointly or independently, this project shows how structured, impartial leadership can transform IT provision for charities and healthcare organisations.