MPs call on NHS trusts to work together to get better deals on equipment

A report by the Commons Committee of Public Accounts found the current value of equipment, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scanners, used mainly for diagnosis, plus linear accelerator (Linac) machines for cancer treatment, in the NHS was about £1bn.

However, it noted the system since 2007 of devolving responsibility for purchasing and managing the machines to individual trusts was “not conducive to delivering value for money”.

The report, entitled Managing high value capital equipment in the NHS in England, expressed concern that the NHS was failing to optimise its purchasing power, at a time when savings of £20bn in the NHS are required by 2015.

The NHS, it said, currently had “inadequate information” to assess cost, performance and capacity across the system, adding it welcomed Department of Health plans to require all trusts to produce data on MRI and CT scan use.

Committee chair Margaret Hodge said: “High value equipment in the NHS – like MRI and CT scanners – is worth around £1bn, but the way this equipment is bought and used is not providing value for money for the taxpayer.

“We were shocked by the unacceptable response times for certain conditions. A modern NHS should not allow 50 per cent of people who have a stroke to wait more than 24 hours for a scan. There are unacceptable variations between trusts in the number of scans per (CT) machine, from 7,800 to almost 22,000 a year; opening hours and waiting times.

“The Department of Health has got to look at how machines can be used more efficiently to make the best use of scarce resources.”

The Labour MP said not enough trusts were taking full advantage of the framework agreements the NHS Supply Chain negotiated.

She added: “Even where they do, money is being wasted because trusts don’t join together to buy equipment and get the best deals by exploiting their bulk buying power.”