Sixth report from the Select Committee on Estimates : together with the minutes of evidence taken before sub-committee D and appendices, session 1956-1957: Running costs of hospitals.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Estimates
Date:
[1957]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sixth report from the Select Committee on Estimates : together with the minutes of evidence taken before sub-committee D and appendices, session 1956-1957: Running costs of hospitals. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    19 February, 1957.) [Continued. Regional machinery controlling it. No new appointments have been made; not a single junior clerk has been appointed to work this. Mr. Holt. 768. I would just like to put two or three points. In starting this, what criteria influence you in choosing what to buy Regionally? You mentioned tex- tiles and drugs. Why did you pick those? Is it a question of the standardi- sation of the textiles; are the sheets the same? I think I could give a simple answer as to why we picked textiles first. Linked up with the question of bulk purchases was also the question of the marking of textiles to minimise pilfering. The two things were taken up together. It seemed convenient, as we were work- ing out a scheme for the pooling of the textile requirements of the Region, that we might be able to combine with it, in view of the enlarged orders, a scheme for working-in a device which would identify all textiles like sheets and blankets ; and, indeed, that proved highly successful eventually, although there was much heartburning about what form that identification device should take. But eventually a simple device of an un- ostentatious green stripe was woven into the sheets and the blankets and all the other textiles to identify them as Hospital property. 769. Has it resulted in a very great change in the sources of supply? You are not buying from the same people from whom the H.M.C.s were buying before? Are you buying from one firm instead of a number? You mean, has it brought in a number of new sources of supply with whom we did not previously deal? 770. Has it resulted in a bulk purchase from one firm? Lancashire in particular is a mixture of very big combines and a lot of small firms. Has it resulted in any alteration of the trade? Is it some- thing which may have hit a lot of small firms? (Mr. Agnew.) I cannot answer that question. (Mr. Gibbon.) 1 would say the answer is no. Chairman. 771. Some of these questions will be answered in your Paper? (Mr. Agnew.) I do not think we have dealt with that particular point. Chairman.] J think that is a matter which must be ignored. The Committee must view this from the point of view of economy. Mr. Holt. 772. It is ‘an extremely important point involving, possibly, the setting up of monopolies. The third point I would ask is this. Are you really sure that, Over a period of years, you have in fact made a saving? You may have actually bought a sheet at a lower price——? (Mr. Gibbon.) At a better specification, yes. 773. At a better specification, and you may have reduced your pilfering? Yes. 774. Because you have marked sheets ; but are there any other advantages which perhaps have been lost? I would sug- gest that you cannot answer that now, but if we are having a paper perhaps something might be put into it? We will bear that in mind when preparing the paper. Mrs. Aill. 775. Are you able to secure all your supplies at one price, or is there any variation in price? Would a Hospital Management Committee have to make the choice of one or two different con- tracts which you have made because you cannot get all your supplies at one specific price? (Mr. Agnew.) That information can be given in the paper. (Mr. Gibbon.) I do not think I quite understood Mrs. Hill’s question. 776. My point is this, can you buy for a whole Region in just the same way as you buy nationally? Can you get alli your supplies at one price or would you have to have different contractors, who may have different prices? Do you mean for the same article? 777. Yes, for the same article? Well, I cannot answer that off hand.* Vice-Admiral Hughes Hallett. 778. Did I understand you to say it is ihe intention to move forward into the realm of bulk purchase of food? I said we have not got that far. 779. What is in your mind for the future? (Mr. Agnew.) Much smaller 9° * Note by the witness : The answer is ‘‘ no.
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