University Hospitals Plymouth highly ranked for purchasing supplies

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust has been ranked 7th in the country for its procurement and supply chain management, according to NHS Improvement.

The NHS Procurement League Table, published this month, measures each NHS Trust’s performance in the purchasing and ordering of goods and supplies, comparing specific indicators such as the purchase price achieved for certain products and efficiency of processing an order.

Andy McMinn, Chief Procurement Officer, with colleagues Sophie Reid and Steven CarterThis is the second year that University Hospitals Plymouth has been ranked in the top 10 (out of 136 trusts).

“With increased pressures and expectations of the NHS, ensuring the achievement of value for money is essential,” explains Andy McMinn, Chief Procurement Officer, pictured right. “At University Hospitals Plymouth, we choose to order goods from suppliers who offer the best value and outcomes for our patients, which help to make savings for the Trust. This money can then be reinvested in patient care, which we’ve all got a responsibility to improve.

“Our team is brilliant at using software systems to keep track of costs and for benchmarking a product’s market price before raising an order. They work closely with clinical colleagues to rationalise the use of products, which gives us greater bargaining power to negotiate with suppliers.”

University Hospitals Plymouth has a proven history in leading the way for the purchasing of healthcare goods. Last year, it was ranked as the top NHS Trust for paying the lowest prices and also became the first NHS Trust in the South West to achieve the Level 1 NHS Procurement and Commercial Standards Accreditation.

“We’re delighted to have had our achievements formally recognised in this way,” adds Andy. “Accreditation like this improves performance and ultimately benefits the patients we care for.

“But of course the work doesn’t end here. We are currently working towards the Level 2 accreditation and are constantly seeking ways to improve our practice.”