We introduced our successful dynamic purchasing system across the continuing healthcare service in Cheshire and Wirral resulting in huge cost savings within 12 months of operation.

Background

Following its success in Staffordshire, NHS Midlands and Lancashire (NHS ML) worked with the five CCGs in Cheshire and Wirral to deploy our dynamic purchasing system (DPS) across their in-house shared continuing healthcare (CHC) service. As in Staffordshire, CHC spend was increasing and CCGs needed to achieve savings. Brokerage was particularly labour intensive and time consuming, with placement often being made to the first provider contacted that had availability. ​

Action

We worked with the CCGs to implement a web-based fully hosted electronic DPS solution, provided by our technology partner Adam HTT Ltd, for market management and placement of patients.  It provides the technology to carry out competitions for packages of care at the point of need, across the whole supply chain. The placement of patients via the system is fully supported by our in-house Placement Team. Our Improvement Unit provided end-to-end client facing project management for the implementation and continue to support the CCGs with the continuous improvement of the system.​

Impact

• Over £380,000 savings in the first 12 months​
• Average 4.1 per cent saving on Care Home Packages​
• Average 7.6 per cent saving on Care at Home Packages​
• Supply base grown by over 70 per cent​
• 55 care homes -> 229 care homes​
• 54 agencies -> 131 agencies​
• CCGs are receiving 5-7 offers for Care Home Packages and 2-2.5 offers for Care at Home ​
• Automated service agreement and streamlined payment ​
• Monthly management information provides CCGs with superior insight to inform target areas​
• A stable market – all suppliers are credit checked prior to entry and quality concerns are fed into the commissioning process ​
• Improved engagement with the provider market with regular face-to-face engagement sessions and use of supplier relationship management (SRM) function.​

Feedback

“The Improvement Team at NHS ML has supported us on a particularly challenging project and have operated professionally throughout its duration. Responses have been prompt and issues have been dealt with thoroughly.”

Jason Grugan, Assistant Contracts Manager Cheshire and Wirral CCGs

Further information

If you would like more information about our services, you can contact us on mlcsu.improvement@nhs.net

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