Chris Whitehouse, a political consultant and expert on medical technology policy and regulation at Whitehouse Communications, and a Trustee of the Bios Centre for bioethics looks at the background to an amendment to the Health Bill focussing on value-based procurement [VBP].
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, former health Minister and currently Patron of the Health Care Supply Association, has signalled his intention to create an opportunity for a short debate in the House of Lords on the adoption of value-based procurement by the National Health Service and social care in England.
The Peer has tabled an amendment to the government’s Health Bill, currently awaiting its Committee Stage in the House of Lords. The amendment, if passed, would require the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to present an annual report to Parliament on the adoption of VBP, but it is likely that after a short debate the amendment would be withdrawn. It would nevertheless allow members of the House of Lords, from all political parties and none, to endorse the principles of VBP, to welcome its introduction by the government and to encourage further efforts to support and empower procurement professionals in the sector to use the VBP value assessment guidance, published in June, as the basis for an increasing number of procurements.
The VBP guidance was developed by the Department of Health and Social Care’s Medical Technology and Innovation Directorate over the last three years in dialogue with industry, clinicians and procurement professionals, under the leadership of its Director, David Lawson.
The Author used AI in preparing this article. Comments upon or questions about this article can be addressed to chris.whitehouse@whitehousecomms.com.
