Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Accepted
NHS England only challenges financially struggling trusts, not analysing broader procurement data.
Recommendation
We asked NHSE why it does not do more to understand the reasons trusts purchase through routes other than NHS Supply Chain. NHS told us that, given the resources it has, it only challenges the trusts that are struggling the most financially. NHSE explained, for those trusts struggling the most financially, they could be put under ‘legal undertakings’, and NHSE can require them to use NHS Supply Chain. NHSE does, however, make data 13 Q 116; C&AG’s Report, paras 1.9, 2.5 14 Correspondence from NHSE to the Public Accounts Committee, 15 February 2024. 15 Q 17; C&AG’s Report para 6 16 C&AG’s Report, Figure 12 17 Q 64; C&AG’s Report, para 3.3 18 Q113; C&AG’s Report, paras 3.8–3.9 19 Qq 72–73; C&AG’s Report, para 15 NHS Supply Chain and efficiencies in procurement 11 available to all trusts so they can work out themselves where they can get better value for money. NHSE does not analyse the data to identify what NHS Supply Chain could do differently to persuade trusts to use it more.20
Government Response Summary
The government claims the recommendation is already implemented, stating that NHS England already uses procurement data to challenge trusts and NHS Supply Chain on pricing, and provides the NHS Spend Comparison Service for trusts to identify efficiency opportunities.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 NHSE already uses procurement data to challenge trusts who are not using NHS SC where NHS SC is the better price, and NHS England also challenge NHS SC to ensure they are delivering the best price for the NHS. The NHS Spend Comparison Service is a tool which takes spend data from Trusts in order to provide insights back to them on the cost of products that they purchase from NHS SC and directly from suppliers, highlighting opportunities where additional efficiencies may be possible.