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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE EFFICIENCY TECHNICAL NOTES: MARCH 2005: page 27

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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE EFFICIENCY TECHNICAL NOTES: MARCH 2005

9. HEALTH

1. Portfolio/Number/Name:H/C1NHS Procurement

2. Programme/Activity: Please include a short description

As part of NHSScotland's agenda for Modernising Support Services, SEHD launched Phase 2 of BPI (Best Procurement Implementation) in NHSScotland at the end of August 2003. The scope of the work has been divided into 4 workstreams, namely:

  • Process & Technology - co-ordinating the rollout of the eProcurement Scotl@nd service to NHSScotland (NHS boards and Special Health Boards);
  • Strategic Sourcing - targeting 11 commodities in the 1 st wave and a further 11 in wave 2;
  • Logistics - implementing best practice supply chain management in NHSScotland and securing the procurement benefit opportunities identified in Phase 1;
  • Change Management and Communication - supporting the changes driven by the Strategic Sourcing and Process & Technology streams with a comprehensive communications programme and a focus on managing the stakeholders through supporting and championing the Programme.

This activity relates to cash releasing efficiency savings arising from the Process and Technology and Strategic Sourcing workstreams.

3. Planned Savings

BPI aims to stimulate collaborative buying and thereby deliver sustainable cost reductions of 50 million per annum.

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

Cash (m)

32

40

50

Time Releasing (m)

0

0

0

4. Accountable Officer for delivery

Dr Kevin Woods

5. Project Manager

Mr Ross Scott

6. EGDG account manager

Ms Gillian Woolman

7. Quality Impact

Describe any impact on the quality of service delivery. Be specific and explain if the expectation is positive, negative or neutral.

The expectation is a positive impact on quality. Through technology and national contracts better purchasing at better prices will be delivered. Better working practices will be developed and administrative savings will be delivered through the reduction in the number of paper documents (eg purchase orders, goods received notes, invoices, etc) that will need to be processed.

8. Dependencies

Explain if your savings are dependant on legislation or other structural changes being achieved.

Savings are not dependant on legislation. Savings are dependent on the roll-out of technology to NHS Boards and the identification of commodities and the development of national contracts.

9. Description of efficiency and actions to be taken

9.1 How will the saving be made? Be specific about number/size of contracts, staff, posts dates etc.

Savings will be made through the use of technology (e-procurement), purchasing through reverse electronic auctions and the number of national contracts negotiated. As at February 2005, NHSScotland had participated in 3 reverse electronic auctions (two for IT and one for non sterile gloves) and several others were planned; national contracts had been negotiated for 14 commodities and were in place with a further 7 due to come on stream by April 2005. A total of 140 commodities has been identified although it is anticipated that some commodity bundling will occur.

All NHS Chairmen and Chief Executives have formally signed up to the objective of ensuring that their Board participates actively in the strategic sourcing and e-procurement facet of BPI. Furthermore, each Board has given an Executive Director specific responsibility for BPI.

9.2 What action is critically needed to secure delivery of this saving? Be specific, and name the key action managers if they are outwith your immediate management chain (e.g. in an NDPB.)

The action required is that the technology is rolled out by the project team; national contracts are negotiated by the project team; and that NHS Board Chief Executives and Heads of Procurement ensure that the contracts are used within their Boards. BPI is a business change programme and success is tied to the degree to which structure and practice changes. There is, therefore, a key dependency on NHSScotland participating in the programme and taking responsibility for implementing business change in that environment. The Change Management and Communication workstream of BPI is important in this respect.

10. Impact on Staffing to achieve the efficiency gain

If there are to be any changes in staff numbers (at activity level) to achieve the efficiency gain, please indicate how many full time equivalents and how far you expect savings to be achieved by natural wastage (show additions as + and reductions as -).

2005- 06

2006- 07

2007- 08

+

42

42

42

-

0

0

0

Net

42

42

42

Explanation

The need to recruit an additional 85 staff was recognised to deliver the cash releasing efficiency savings. Of this figure 16 are required to make up a current staffing shortfall and 27 will be on fixed term contracts primarily concentrating on implementation. This means a net addition of 42 permanent people to provide ongoing leadership, strategic sourcing, systems management/development expertise. It is anticipated that 36 (of the 85 staff) will be recruited in 2004-05.

11. Benefits

In general, the benefits of the Scottish Executive Efficiency Plan are the enhanced outputs from the resources Ministers have been able to allocate in SR04. But if there is a direct connection between this efficiency saving and the enhancement of a particular service please describe it here.

The cash releasing efficiency savings will be retained by NHS Boards and used for developing and/or delivering local patient services.

12. Gross/Net Cash Savings

12.1 Please set out the gross recurring saving and any offsetting recurring expenditure.

The gross recurring saving is 32m pa and rises to 50m in 2007-08. This saving is net of the costs of additional staff.

12.2 Against what budget does this saving fall?

NHS Board Revenue Allocations

12.3 Has this saving been built into your budget?

No

12.4 If so, what is the maximum allowable expenditure against the published budget data, in each year, for that saving to be delivered?

N/A

12.5 If not, how do you propose to invest the additional cash back into public services?

Higher investment in NHS services since the savings are retained locally within NHS Boards.

12.6 What plans do you have to exceed the required saving? Explain by how much in each year? (Answer here also if you need to do this to live within your budget)

None

13. Time - release savings

13.1 Please explain any time-releasing savings indicated at question 3.

N/A

13.2 Please describe the method you plan to use to calculate the cash equivalent of those time release savings.

N/A

14. Measurement and Monitoring

14.1 How are you proposing to measure the expected efficiency benefits (e.g. in terms of costs, level of output or quality of service)?

Savings delivered through BPI against existing commodity expenditure baselines.

14.2 What monitoring & reporting procedures will be put in place to measure the efficiency savings (How often will progress towards the target be monitored?

Monthly reporting by the BPI Project Team

Who will have lead responsibility for reporting progress and what procedures will be in place?)

BPI Project Director

14.3 Monitoring Data: Sources, validation and risks

  • What data will be used to measure progress?

    Procurement data

  • Is all the required information quantifiable and readily available?

    Yes

  • If not what action will be taken to rectify this?

    N/A

  • What measures will be in place to validate the accuracy of the data?

    To be determined.

  • Who will take responsibility for this?

    BPI Project Director

  • Are there any issues or risks relating to how you plan to use the data? (e.g. accuracy, difficulties in collection).

    No

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