Today King Charles III delivered The King’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament.
The purpose of the speech is to outline the government’s legislative agenda and proposed new laws for the upcoming parliamentary session.
It came as no surprise then that NHS reform featured heavily.
King Charles III said the government intended to push forward with the NHS Modernisation Bill, which pledges to introduce two big changes – joining up health information via a single patient record and abolishing NHS England.
What does the Modernisation Bill mean for NHS commissioning and procurement?
The bill will also formally transfer NHS England’s functions into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
This is ‘will reduce bureaucracy by simplifying the NHS structure’ according to the government. It will also ‘reduce duplication and free up resources to be reinvested in the frontline, with less time spent on administration and more time focused on delivering care’.
In theory, this will enable Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to evolve into more strategic commissioning bodies for the NHS and give them greater buying power in their local areas.
We expect ICBs to focus more on the following priorities when commissioning going forward:
- Prevention
- Neighbourhood health models
- Population health management
- Community-based care delivery
This could, for example, see tender opportunities for providers of products or services relating to virtual wards, digital triage and community diagnostics.
As NHS England is absorbed into the DHSC we may also see revisions made to procurement rules and guidance.
What should NHS tender bids include?
In practical terms, commissioners will need to assess and judge tender bids on their ability to help the NHS meet targets set out in its Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, which include moving care from hospitals to local communities, shifting from analog to digital processes, and moving away from reactive sickness treatment to proactive illness prevention. This means those bidding for NHS tenders will need to clearly demonstrate, with measurable data, how they can help achieve those aims if they win the contract.
It is also no secret that the NHS is struggling financially. This makes delivering this ambitious transformation especially challenging, so procurement decisions will also be based on the ability to show productivity gains, workforce efficiencies, long-term value and measurable return on investment.
K Low Consulting supports organisations navigating NHS commissioning, procurement and transformation. If you would like to discuss how the latest reforms may affect your tender bid strategy, talk to a member of our team by calling 0330 133 8823 or emailing info@klowconsulting.com.