The contracts began in April and runs for an initial five-year period, with an option to extend to seven years.

Carillion will deliver planned and reactive maintenance services at around 180 properties for the Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust and East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust. The properties range from mental health units to health centres and community hospitals.

Shaun Carter, managing director of Carillion Government Services, said:

"These are among the first significant contracts to be awarded by the NHS under the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Property and Facilities Management Framework Agreement.

OGC framework agreements promote the use of best practice procurement techniques which use pre-existing contracts to deliver significant efficiency savings for public sector organisations."