Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
The response to a parliamentary question confirmed that, at the beginning of November 2020, there...
Conclusion
The response to a parliamentary question confirmed that, at the beginning of November 2020, there were 2,300 consultants and contractors working for 73 different suppliers in NHST&T, with a total consultancy cost of approximately £375 million up to that point.43 However, when giving evidence to the Science and Technology Committee on 3 February, NHST&T said that it was still employing around 2,500 consultants.44 When we took evidence in mid-January, the Department estimated around 900 contractors from Deloitte alone were still on NHST&T’s books.45 The Department reported to us that the average cost per consultant was about £1,100 a day, up to a maximum of £6,624 for some consultancy staff.46 It also said it had plans to reduce NHST&T’s reliance on external consultants, although this was dependent on the availability of civil service recruits to fill posts and future demand for test and trace services.47
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 Consultants offer quick access to expertise that may otherwise be difficult to recruit – either quickly or indeed at all. They will always have a place but need to be used selectively. NHST&T has therefore established a consultancy ramp-down plan, based on current demand assumptions, which aims to reduce the number of consultants by over 40% between March 2021 and December 2021. 3.3 NHST&T continues to reduce consultancy headcount through the following mechanisms: • capability mapping and staff development; • increasing recruitment – NHST&T has launched a careers microsite and as of March 2021 had over 154 campaigns live; • replacing consultancy resources with cheaper contract resources while long-term recruitment continues; • a Commercial Challenge Board to provide increased scrutiny when consultancy resource is requested and ensure there is clear evidence that there is no alternative and that rates are appropriate to the work being delivered; • regular challenge sessions with each business area; and • including short term termination clauses in contracts to ensure maximum flexibility and to support the roll-off of consultants. 3.4 NHST&T is currently working across government and with Public Health England (PHE) to understand the most effective ways to attract and secure clinical capability. It is also reaching out to NHS networks to understand better and learn from their supply routes and where NHST&T can improve.