NHS: Procurement
Health
Written answers and statements, 16 July 2007
Mark Tami (Assistant Whip (funded by HM Treasury); Alyn & Deeside, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health
(1) what plans his Department has to review NHS purchasing processes, with particular reference to enabling clinicians to commission appropriate technologies where hospital-acquired infections are concerned;
(2) if he will make a statement on NHS purchasing processes, with particular reference to the delivery of effective management of hospital-acquired infections.
Ben Bradshaw (Minister of State (Health Services; Minister for the South West), Department of Health; Exeter, Labour)
All national health service procurement must fully comply with European Union regulations and be a transparent process. Proper emphasis must be placed on guidance provided by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and information on products provided by the centre for evidence based purchasing. However, the Government recognise the need to ensure swift access for clinicians to products which are innovative and effective in supporting the reduction in healthcare-associated infections, and processes are being reviewed to meet this challenge.
A best practice procurement framework has been developed as part of the health industry taskforce outcomes to ensure NHS procurement is aligned to NHS objectives and delivers outputs that are relevant. This framework will also ensure better decision-making in the NHS through category management and sourcing groups managed locally by the collaborative procurement hubs.
By working within this new framework the key targets and objectives of health and social care, such as health care-associated infection, can be appropriately aligned with benefits to be derived from procurement.
Currently there are no plans to review NHS procurement processes.