A dozen law firms have secured a four-year deal to provide legal services to the NHS in the north of England.

Bevan Brittan, Browne Jacobson, Capsticks, Cater Leydon Millard, DAC Beachcroft, Hempsons, Hill Dickinson, Kennedys, Mills & Reeve, Sintons, Ward Hadaway and Weightmans have secured a four-year agreement with the North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative.

The collaborative is a wholly NHS-owned organisation, set up in 2007. It is hosted by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Areas of advice to be provided by the panel include healthcare, employment, contract and commercial, property, NHS governance and public law, and mental health.

Under the agreement, which began at the start of this month, services can be purchased at competitive rates on either an hourly or fixed basis, with firms also providing initial free telephone consultation and advice, and free legal training for customer organisations.

There is also a provision to undertake a ‘mini competition’ to engage a provider on a fixed term or project basis.

The new line-up marks Bevan Brittan’s panel debut.

Sharon Renouf, head of health at the national firm, said the panel appointment means the firm has a place on all trust and CCG [clinical commissioning groups] healthcare frameworks in England.

Partner Michael Boyd (pictured), who heads the Leeds office, will lead the firm’s relationship with the collaborative.

He said: ‘Having opened our Leeds office 18 months ago, we have established good relationships with a variety of NHS organisations across Yorkshire, Humberside and the north east.

‘This panel appointment is a great opportunity for us to build on that and extend our client relationships further, serving the needs of NHS bodies right across the region.’