Hospital bosses are wasting millions, with some paying double for medical equipment as others, a damning report has found
Wasteful hospital bosses are failing to maximize their purchasing power, with some paying twice as much for medical equipment as others, a damning report has found.
The spending watchdog said the health service would save taxpayers money if it made greater use of a national purchasing program that could negotiate deep discounts.
The NHS in England spends around £8 billion a year on things like paper, gloves, hip replacements and other equipment. But the National Audit Office found that more than a third of this money is spent independently by NHS organisations, rather than through a centralized system.
The researchers found that some hospitals paid £15 for each bone saw blade they bought in 2022/2023, while others paid £33 – 120 per cent more. A portable bladder scanner with a touchscreen cost some hospitals £6,591, while others paid £12,760.
And some hospitals paid £490 for a replacement hip stem, while others bought just £258.
Wasteful hospital bosses are failing to maximize their purchasing power, with some paying twice as much for medical equipment as others, a damning report reveals (File Image)
The report, titled ‘NHS Supply Chain and efficiencies in purchasing’, warns that trusts are paying a ‘wide range of prices for the same product’ and that the NHS is ‘not making the best use of its purchasing power to save money’.
The NHS Supply Chain sources, purchases and supplies medical equipment and consumables to hospital trusts. It was established in 2017 as a central purchasing body following a 2016 report that found some hospitals were paying twice as much as others for certain medical supplies.
However, it is not mandatory for trusts to use the system and the NHS spends around £3.4 billion annually on purchases from other sources.
Health bosses say products from the NHS Supply Chain are not always cheaper and deliveries are often late. The report highlights that the lowest price paid for a breathing valve and mouthpiece in 2022/2023 was £155, but those who bought the items through the central system paid £185.
The NHS said it is ‘committed to using our huge collective purchasing power to deliver the best value for money’, adding: ‘We have rolled out the use of high quality data in commercial practice across the service so that the NHS can analyze expenses. , track savings and compare prices.’