Pharma consultants on shortlist to help PCTs improve services
pharmafile | October 19, 2007 | News story | |Â Â Â
Fourteen private companies have been awarded favoured supplier status to assist PCTs in their strategic planning and commissioning of services.
The move creates a pool of private sector expertise for PCTs to draw on, rather than individual trusts having to source outside help on their own.
Large sums of money spent by NHS trusts on consultants have frequently been criticised in the past – particularly set against cutbacks in budgets and staff redundancies so the approved list of companies is intended to help PCTs choose private sector help and reduce unnecessary cost.
Known as the Framework for procuring External Support for Commissioners (FESC), the 14 companies on the list are a mix of private healthcare providers, such as AXA and BUPA and data and strategic consultants such as McKinsey and KPMG.
One company on the list, WG Consulting, has its background in helping the pharmaceutical industry with its strategic marketing plans, but also has experience and expertise in working with the NHS.
PCTs will not be obliged to use the services of the companies, but the approved list will simplify the process for any trust looking to select private sector expertise.
Health minister Ivan Lewis said: "This new guidance will allow PCTs to benefit from a bank of knowledge already built up through the Department of Health procurement process. PCTs will be able to work with organisations that are already known and trusted, which will enable them to concentrate their efforts and expertise on providing patient care."
The framework allows firms to tender for contracts to provide PCTs with specialist commissioning support.
WG Consulting says it has experience in supporting service redesign and new developments in practice-based commissioning across a wide range of disease areas.
The consultancy made it clear that it would not be taking over from PCTs as commissioners, but rather helping them develop in-house expertise.
"WG will focus on seeking to further enhance capacity and capability within the assessing and planning function, rather than taking on the commissioning function of PCTs en masse," said Andy Lee, healthcare operations director at WG Consulting, who will lead its dedicated team.
WG's in-house team includes commissioners with NHS experience, specialised project managers and medicines management pharmacists, as well as a wide network of NHS associates offering clinical leadership across all the major disease areas.
A typical example of the kind of service which could be provided would be in providing data analysis to help PCTs assess the health needs of their local population, analyse trends and pinpoint areas and groups with the greatest need.
Several PCTs have already expressed interest in using FESC to support their commissioning. The potential pilots are: Ashton Leigh & Wigan PCT, Cambridgeshire PCT, East of England SHA, Hampshire PCT, Hillingdon PCT, North East Lincolnshire PCT, and a West Midlands consortium of PCTs called the Commissioning Business Support Agency.
