NATIONAL Health Service transport managers have rejected the official supply terms negotiated on their behalf by NHS Supplies, and are to go out to tender for the supply of contract hire vehicles. The NHS fleet chiefs are up in arms about an arrangement which saw the number of their potential suppliers cut from 14 to four - Ford Credit, Renault Financial Services, Vauxhall Master Hire and Automotive Leasing.

few select companies, but transport managers rejected the new deal two months ago. As a result, the NHS Transport Managers Association (which represents 63 trusts and health authorities accounting for over one-fifth of the NHS fleet) will go out to tender for the supply of contract hire vehicles in the European Journal, on August 22.

The tender aims to appoint between five and 15 suppliers, with the contract due to run for three years, starting in October. It will run alongside the existing NHS Supplies contract, and trusts which use NHS Supplies will still be able to source vehicles through the original arrangement.