The countdown is now on to P4H 2016

In support of the current hospital efficiency challenges and the ongoing development of operational productivity within the NHS, P4H 2016 will provide you with a unique opportunity to enhance knowledge, share best practice and network with marketplace peers, across a single day.

Following the success of 2015’s inaugural P4H – The Procurement Event for Health, the event returns this year with a bigger agenda, more speakers addressing the strategic direction of procurement in the NHS and more training opportunities than ever before.

Set against the backdrop of Lord Carter’s recently published report on Operational Productivity in the NHS and initiatives such as Department of Health’s NHS Procurement Transformation Programme, P4H 2016 is set to help procurement professionals address their efficiency target of two-three per cent.

Jin Sahota, director of Supply Chain at the Department of Health will give the opening address in the Keynote Arena on NHS Procurement – The National Programme. Jin only recently started working with the Department of Health, managing the supply chain, supplier relationship management and supply chain resilience. With over 25 years of experience in leading global operations and sourcing, you will hear what elements of his private sector experience he believes will help transform the way procurement works within the NHS.

The Keynote Arena also features Andy McMinn MCIPS, chief procurement officer of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust who will be sharing his experiences and perspective on the changing NHS procurement environment. We are also set to hear some regional perspectives and approaches from: Mike Doyle and Brian Mangan from NHS North West Procurement Development; John Swords, head of procurement, Health & Safety Executive, Republic of Ireland; and Jim Miller, interim director of procurement and commissioning & facilities in NHS National Services Scotland. Chaired by Professor Duncan Eaton, of the All Party Parliamentary Health Group, attendees will be invited to contribute with questions, experiences and views.

Training zones
Training forms a major element of P4H with four distinct training zones designed specifically to help buyers of all levels within the NHS enhance their overall knowledge, collaborate and share best practice. All four training zones offer CPD certified training sessions covering the most topical subjects and directly aligned to ongoing marketplace initiatives and developments.

Delegates will be able to choose from 11 sessions within the Professional Procurement Skills Zone on topics ranging from ‘Choosing the Right Procedure’, ‘Understanding Framework Agreements’ and an update on the ‘UK Public Contracts Regulations’ to three sessions on workforce and staffing procurement, dynamic purchasing systems and a favourite this year, ‘Addressing the Efficiency Challenge’.

Efficient procurement
In the eProcurement Zone the sessions will offer strategic advice to enable departmental and trust-wide transparency and efficiency. You can catch up with the government’s 2020 Digital Strategy, eInvoicing with Peppol and how inventory control systems can revolutionise your procurement operation. Implementing initiatives from other’s experiences can give you a short cut to transformation.

Sometimes, the Best Practice Case Study Zone offers golden opportunities to take away ideas that are simple but make a huge difference to your operations. If we were to recommend one session, don’t miss the NHS Savings Swap Shop with Nick Hodgson, supplier development advisor at the Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust and Andrew Varley, clinical procurement specialist, Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

They will be sharing how their Swap Shop collaboration brought together ten trusts in the South West of England and how collectively they saved £850 million collectively. They will be running a live swap shop so bring one savings success with you and you can start swapping.

P4H hosts three Collaboration Zones: the Procurement Advice Hub where you can get advice on training, consultancy and eProcurement systems; the Career Advice Hub where you can gain tips and advice on how to expand your experience and make your career count; plus the Buyer Engagement Village where suppliers and buyers can have real conversations about what they’re both looking to achieve.

Event partners
We are delighted to welcome back our event partners: Crown Commercial Service; NHS Shared Business Service; NHS Commercial Solutions; NHS East of England Collaborative Procurement Hub; NHS London Procurement Partnership; NHS North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative; NHS Northwest Procurement Development; NMHS Supply Chain; Healthtrust Europe; and the Health Care Supply Association.

All our partners offer advice to buyers about purchasing from their frameworks to achieve best pricing and the chance for suppliers to discuss framework opportunities.

The Product Showcase offers buyers the chance to meet directly with suppliers and discover new products, innovative services and take away ideas which can make a real impact on productivity and results.

P4H 2016 is one day of everything a buyer or supplier needs to make a real difference to their day to day operations and overall savings targets. With over 230 buying organisations registered to attend, join them and take advantage of the biggest day for health procurement this year. L

Public sector delegates can register for free and private sector delegates can book tickets for £95.

Further information
www.p4health.co.uk