The role of NHS procurement professionals has never been tougher. A growing list of legal requirements for contracting authorities puts trusts under great scrutiny and at increasing risk of legal challenge. A large and highly competitive supplier base makes the process a huge pull on time, and, with the ever-present pressure on budgets, savings must be made and best value achieved.
To address these challenges Mills & Reeve have developed the HPP which will save NHS bodies time, cut spend and reduce their legal risk.
Using smart online resources, users can navigate through the various procurement procedures simply and quickly. Instead of spending time drafting and redrafting, users are free to focus on the aspects that really matter. A set of constantly refreshed and updated, high quality document templates, and a library of guidance empowers trusts’ teams to run their procurements without relying on advice from solicitors. At the same time risks around noncompliance and legal challenge are mitigated.
Roger Holloway, Purchasing Manager for the Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust said:
"This Portal has saved me hours of work… [it] enables me to focus on what is important to the Trust - the Specification. By us all using the same standard documents suppliers will have a greater comfort factor and know that we have nothing to hide."
Dr Gill Thomas, partner and head of Mills & Reeve’s commercial health, commissioning and procurement practice, which is based in the firm’s Cambridge office, commented:
“As key advisers to the NHS we are delighted to use our expertise to develop a product that will save our clients time and money whilst providing full legal assurance. We’re very pleased with participation levels at launch, and look forward to rolling the Portal out more widely both in the region and nationally”.
The HPP is now open for new subscribers. Find out more at www.mills-reeve.com/hpp or contact HPP leads Gill Thomas on 01223 222 237 or Sean Earnshaw on 01603 693345.