EXPERT VIEW
JOSH AULAK, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
CONSULTANT AT THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMPANY
ANY NEW NHS MONEY COULD COME WITH TIGHTER MANAGEMENT
The NHS will be a major issue
in next year’s general election,
with Labour pledging to spend
more and hire more staff, while
the Conservatives promise
a ring fence on spending for a
further five years.
With a recent report suggesting the service could end
the year £1 billion in the red, pressure will grow for all
parties to raise more money to pay for rising demand.
This will of course be welcome news to the NHS’
private sector suppliers. But pressure is also
increasing for tighter management of contracts right
across our public services.
According to a recent National Audit Office (NAO)
review, the public sector now has more than 100,000
contracts, costing around £40 billion a year, with
private suppliers.
NAO said there needed to be greater transparency
in how contracts are managed and a greater use
of commercial incentives to prompt suppliers into
improving service delivery. It also called for stronger
performance indicators in contracts and less reliance
on suppliers’ own performance data.
So what might this mean for suppliers?
It could mean that Trusts and other commissioners will ask
more questions. They may also use investor information and
the work of market analysts. It could lead to much greater
sharing of information about suppliers’ performance, both
across the NHS and with other parts of Government.
It is likely to mean a greater role for NHS staff with commercial
experience - and even a drive to recruit more staff from the
private sector into contract management roles.
A challenge: but also an opportunity for suppliers to
develop innovative ways to respond to new demands from
commissioners. An opportunity to develop new systems and
ways of working to deliver the information they require.
And more broadly, as the NHS changes its ways of working to
meet new challenges, so it will be looking to its suppliers to
deliver new systems, new equipment and new ideas.
From now until next May, companies working with the NHS
should be keeping a close watch on what the different parties
are thinking and be ready to speak out, to make sure the
opportunities to deliver improved goods and services are not
lost through quick fixes or over-zealous regulation.
Written by Josh Aulak, Government Relations Consultant
at the Public Affairs Company - www.publicaffairsco.com
L follow @PubAffCo on Twitter
Please note - the views being expressed are those of the author and not necessarily Medilink.
MEDILINK EXPORTS EXPERTISE TO SINGLE USE SURGICAL
International medical company Single Use Surgical Ltd (SUSL) has been taking
advantage of a new commercial service offered by Medilink’s International Department.
Tom Elliott, Medilink’s
International Coordinator, has
been supporting the company
as an embedded resource
in the absence of SUSL’s
Export Manager, who was on
maternity leave.
Tom, who has a wealth of experience in
export and helping businesses develop
in overseas markets, joined the SUSL
Export Team for one day a week over
a ten month period to assist them in
exploring new markets.
As the South American Project
Manager for SUSL, Tom carried out
key pieces of work, including a market
06
research overview of the South America
market, in particular Brazil, with a focus
on regulation. He was also instrumental
in finding and negotiating appropriate
distributors and also organising
SUSL’s participation in the Hospitalar
2014 event in São Paulo. Medilink
Yorkshire and Humber runs the UK
Pavilion at Hospitalar on behalf of UK
Trade and Investment.
Steve Whittall, General Manager at
SUSL, said “Tom’s assistance was
invaluable. We were very impressed with
the level of support provided and would
not hesitate to use these resources in
the future.”
Single use suction
tube used for
neurosurgery
and ear, nose
and throat
surgery.
For more information on SUSL visit:
www.susl.co.uk L @SUSL2001