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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    Boards and Boards of Governors? Yes, in the first instance. 276. But you have usually got over that with not very much difficulty? We find most of them now welcome it. Mrs. Aill. 277. What would be the problem sup- posing you did purchase bedding and linen centrally: would it mean that every hospital would have exactly identical linen throughout the whole country? —Not necessarily, no. 278. May there be variations? There are already, of course, standards for blankets. 279. I know that there are standards, but I am thinking rather of counterpanes, things of that description? I am sorry. I was thinking rather of towels, pillow-cases and blankets rather than counterpanes. Counterpanes are obviously items where the hospital ought to have some individual choice. Chairman. 280. Are there many group contracting schemes operating?—-—A very large number. 281. Under your purview ?——No. 282. You officially do not know about them? We know about them. There are both group contracting schemes and joint group contracting schemes, that is to say schemes covering a considerable number of hospital groups. 283. Do you encourage them in any way?———We do, very much. 284. How do you encourage them? ——By circular to the hospital authorities They have been encouraged in two circulars. 285. Do the auditors comment on that at all?———That is so, I believe, but auditors’ comments are outside my field. —(Mr. Marre.) I would not have thought the absence of a joint group contract scheme would necessarily evoke com- ment from the auditor. I think that if a group did not have a_ contracting scheme but each individual hospital bought at different prices for itself the auditor might well comment on that sort of case. 286. I see that the Public Accounts Committee commented on that in the last Session in paragraph 4] of their Report. The Report referred to the fact that “ At one group of teaching hospitals, the United Manchester Hospitals, the Ministry’s auditors had for a number of years reported on the independent purchasing of supplies by the individual hospitals for which the Board of Governors is responsible. Year after vear the auditors have encountered the same refusal to interfere with House Committee policy, although different prices have been paid by the three major hospitals in the group for similar items of provisions and a comparison of these prices with those paid by other hospital groups suggests that some economies might be effected by group purchasing ”’. No doubt you are familiar with those words ?———Yes. 287. Has anything been done?—-—In that particular case, yes. The Minister did, of course, take the matter up with the Board as he had done previously but fortified now by the views expressed by the Public Accounts Committee, and they have now got an arrangement which is a distinct improvement providing for group purchasing of—I was going to say all—at any rate a large proportion of the group’s requirements. 288. Has similar resistance been met in other quarters? From time to time resistance has been met. It is exceptional. 289. Does the Minister act by moral suasion or has he any sanctions? ———The Minister seeks to act always by moral! suasion. 290. You have just told us that it was not effective for some time, why did he not apply some sanction?—-—I am not quite sure what sort of sanction you have in mind. 291. 1 was only asking you what sanction he could apply? I am not sure he could apply anything, except replace that particular Board of Governors when their offices fell vacant. 292. Surely he has financial sanctions he can apply, has he not? The result of applying a financial sanction might not be the result desired 293. I suppose one might say in this case there was unnecessary expenditure? —+- Yes.
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