Introduction
The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) is a national
agency established by the Department of Health to work
with NHS hospitals/trusts in England to promote good
practice in the purchasing of the wide range of goods
and services required. NHS PASA has various teams of
people working in many diverse areas of procurement
from gas and electricity to surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals
to food, and well beyond.
Recently the Agency has been
working with PINNT to review the market for: The
provision of nutrition supply services including feeds,
pumps consumables and a home delivery service (enteral
feeds and supplementary feeds). A summary of the work can
be found in issue 22 of the October PS news, page 12,
see link below.
Why PINNT?
A national advisory group
was established chaired by NHS PASA, and a range of
stakeholders were invited to input into the meeting
in order that a formal document could be produced giving
guidance to individual trusts wishing to embark on
a formal tendering exercise for this type of service
and product. It became very clear that patients rely
very heavily on this service and therefore their views
were of paramount importance – hence NHS PASA
getting in touch with PINNT.
If you would like to view
the document that was finally produced please click
on the link below which details the size and scope
of the market plus an overview of how to ensure best
value for money against an appropriate specification
can be achieved without conceding any aspect of quality
or service.
What can a patient/carer do?
NHS PASA the Department of Health and the National Advisory
Group advocate patients becoming involved when their
local trust(s) begin to consider going out to market
test the existing service. Patients could play a vital
role as an existing service user and this should not
be particularly onerous. If patients are interested
it may be worth approaching their trust dietician to
determine if a local stakeholder group has been established.
It may then be appropriate for patients to attend one
or two meetings to describe the benefits and value
of the existing service, and detail any improvements
or modifications that could be considered. At these
meetings patients would be able to hear about the market
and the exacting process that has to be gone through
in order to ensure a contract is awarded efficiently
and appropriately.
Patients may be interested to attend
a product day or presentation day that the trust may
use as part of the process to evaluate the best potential
supplier.
Patients or carers from both the adult and
paediatric community are welcome.
Health care professionals
Ideally it is advisable to find a local patient or
carer who is familiar with the set up being used. All attempts
should be made to identify someone familiar to the hospital. In
the unlikely event you are unable to find a local service
user/carer or timings are a problem then PINNT MAY be able
to find a representative for you. Service users can help
provide a broader perspective to commence the process of
tendering, and also be of great benefit to validate the
eventual outcome.
In summary services users can
- Influence
the specification by attending one or 2 meetings.
- Attend
a product day.
- Attend a presentation days.
- Provide first hand experience of service required.
- After contract award validate the benefits and range
of support provided for service review meetings.
Contact
If you would like to contact anyone directly at NHS PASA
please email:
Lesley.Taylor@pasa.nhs.uk
The pdf of PS
magazine can be downloaded from http://www.pasa.nhs.uk/ps
The Procurement guideline link: http://www.pasa.nhs.uk/pharma/specialised/enteral_feeds.stm |
