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NHS: Procurement

Volume 469: debated on Tuesday 11 December 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions over the last 12 months NHS suppliers have been required to resupply stock at their own expense. (170615)

The Department does not collect this information centrally.

Suppliers to the national health service through NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency or NHS Supply Chain national framework agreements are required to adhere to terms and conditions. It is part of these standard terms and conditions that if goods are not delivered within specified timescales, the NHS body that placed the contract is able to purchase replacement goods from an alternative source and recover any difference in cost from the contracted supplier.

It is also possible that suppliers may be asked to re-supply goods at their own expense, for example where the original goods supplied are damaged, faulty or sub-standard.