NHS Procurement and Efficiency Board: new chair
Lord Carter of Coles has been appointed to the position of Chair of the NHS Procurement and Efficiency Board.
As Chair of the NHS Procurement and Efficiency Board Lord Carter will help the NHS to cut waste, save money and drive efficiencies which can then be spent on frontline patient care.
Lord Carter brings a wealth of experience from both the private and public sectors to this important role.
Lord Carter recently reviewed the procurement of legal aid in England and Wales, and previously worked in the NHS leading a review of Pathology services. He is also a board member of the Efficiency & Reform Group, part of the Cabinet Office.
The NHS spends over £22 billion every year on goods and services, which typically accounts for around 30 per cent of the operating costs of each NHS organisation.
That’s why the Department of Health, with key partner organisations launched Better Procurement, Better Value, Better Care - the NHS Procurement Efficiency Programme. This programme will support the NHS to harness its purchasing power, reduce variations in prices paid for products of the same quality, drive efficiencies and share best procurement practice.
By improving procurement capability the NHS will deliver a target of £1.5 to 2 billion of procurement efficiency savings by 2015 to 2016.