Did it work and can it be done better in future?

The final part of our weekly GP cost saving blog

Reviewing is easier said than done, as to do it properly you do need to allocate time to it. With the pressure of running a practice, reviewing deals that have already been agreed are probably one of the last things on your to do list. However, reviewing the deal ensures that you build a stronger relationship with your supplier and that is one of the most important elements of all.

Reviewing a contract should always include the supplier. Organise for the supplier to visit you at least twice a year, maybe once a quarter for more critical contracts. At this meeting ask your supplier to bring along:

• Total spend on the account to date broken down by week
• An issue resolution log, highlighting what issues have arisen and how they were fixed
• Ideas of how to save the practice money
• Areas of innovation. 

This meeting should not take more than 45 minutes, but spend the first 15 minutes asking the supplier about his business and what’s happening in the industry. Are they working with local practices, have they won/lost business recently? Then allocate the last part of the meeting to how can both be doing to save money for the practice. The supplier may say that if you ordered twice a week and happy to only have 2 deliveries on set days, he could reduce your costs which if this fits in with your operational needs then it was worth a 45 minute meeting.

As part of this money saving series, ProCure Health is offering any surgery a free money saving consultation. To take advantage of this offer, please contact 0844 824 8188 or email Nick Coleman, Director nick.coleman@procurehealth.co.uk