Recommendation 17

There are some weaknesses and strengths in how NHS Supply Chain is managing the transformation programme. Most notably, there are questions about the capacity and resilience of NHS Supply Chain to deliver the necessary change, particularly in light of the heavy reliance on the Chief Executive Officer for NHS Supply Chain and delays in getting the appropriate approvals for recruiting a chief delivery officer.27 NHSE acknowledged that the process has taken longer than it would want and that the necessary approval currently was ‘sitting between’ NHSE and the Department. The Department informed us that it is working with NHSE to streamline the approvals process.28