Offices, schools and public buildings in the East of England get new covid testing partner to help them re-open

The east of England region – which includes Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire – will be able to draw on specialist lateral flow testing logistical support from facilities management business BAM FM.

BAM, which is itself based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, has been appointed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on a one year contract to deliver lateral flow device (LFD) testing to a framework which all public sector bodies can buy into.

Any local authority, court, educational establishment, town hall, ‘blue light’ building, library or other public sector building can use the call-off contract to access the support available.

BAM will provide all the logistics required to plan, arrange and deliver the lateral flow tests that provide so much critical reassurance for people that they can begin to return to public spaces with greater confidence. Support includes arranging manpower, venues, testing, results, waste disposal, and all the associated logistics.

Rab Bailie, Operations Manager at BAM FM, said: ‘Our role across East of England is to facilitate the delivery of lateral flow antigen testing. It’s a sign of great trust in us from the DHSC because this will really help re-open public buildings in the region as part of the Government’s roadmap to recovery. Lateral flow device (LFD) testing is a fast and simple way to test people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19, but who may still be spreading the virus. We have clients in the region and across the UK, whom we’ve already been supporting to adapt their environments to cope during the previous stages of this pandemic. We have also provided support inside live NHS Nightingale facilities. Thanks to this new framework from DHSC our experience and expertise can be taken a step further by those who need help to carefully plan and manage re-opening without having to arrange all this for themselves.’

BAM FM has a track record over approximately 30 years and employs around 1,000 people. It has supported the effort to combat covid in Britain’s buildings by adapting how it cleans and caters for example, protecting those who work, recover and learn.

The company’s sister construction business has been supporting hospitals around the UK by creating specialist covid facilities. BAM FM is part of Royal BAM Group; its clients include active NHS Nightingale facilities, hospitals, schools, offices, leisure centres and many others in both public and private sectors.

Further information: Mark Slattery, Press and Media Manager, BAM Construct UK Ltd, 01442 238415.