Britain’s Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) has been abolished, to the delight of those who objected to buying from the lowest bidder without regard to value. But abolition of CCT alone does not ensure improvement of standards in the National Health Service, maintains the Business Services Association. BAS’s director-general Norman Rose said: “We welcome the abolition of CCT. Cheapest is rarely best, and nobody can deny that standards of cleanliness and service provision in our hospitals have declined under this regime. We recognise that high standards in these areas are central to the well-being of patients, and there are many problems to be addressed.”
“Value for Patients,” soon to be published, will help ensure that quality and value for money will guide all future decisions. Rose added: “A flexible approach, utilising the best of private sector innovation and business expertise alongside the experience of NHS staff to suit the local situation is the best way to address the challenge of raising standards within the NHS. Patients deserve the best, and we in the private sector will work with Government and the Health Service to ensure that this is achieved.”
Based on a report in i-FM newsletter.
