Lee Joseph reflects on the past 20 years

Reflecting on the past 20 years

Collaboration and innovation have always underpinned everything we do here at NHS LPP. Aligning with such a vast array of stakeholders - both on a regional and national level - to co-create value while being commercially and technically innovative and ensuring the best possible patient outcomes, is no mean feat. Our commitment to this approach has enabled us to by and large meet the needs of the ever-evolving NHS landscape. At the last count, over the past 20 years, our members had avoided over £1.4bn in cost by working with and alongside NHS LPP.

We have become influential in policy setting, and that is because we have not only raised the profile of what NHS LPP does, but also due to the importance of procurement across the NHS. I cannot look back on the past 20 years without reflecting on the pandemic. Covid-19 was a huge challenge for us that really shone the light on procurement, but our teams put themselves on the front line, be that at the Nightingale Hospital or in the sourcing of supplies, and we should not lose sight of that. The impact of the pandemic could have been quite different without the selfless dedication of our teams.

Speaking of our teams, it has been a privilege to see the impact that our organisation has had on our employees. Over the past 20 years we have seen individuals join our organisation at the beginning of their career and go on to leave and do amazing things. Equally, we have had people join us in junior positions and rise through the bands within NHS LPP, achieving various qualifications along the way. Investing in our talent in the way that we have has been central to our growth and has led to NHS LPP becoming an employer of choice. At the time of writing, we have just received over 550 applicants for two vacancies which I believe says a lot about the brand and the opportunities that come from working within and alongside NHS LPP.

Where we are now and looking ahead to next 20 years

We begin the next 20 years with a brighter outlook than we have ever had. We are one of, if not the only NHS procurement organisation that can guarantee 100% clinical oversight of non-clinical products through our clinically assured team. We are the only NHS organisation of any type to be Carbon Silver rated and we have robust and innovative affiliations with most organisations that operate in our space. When you consider this alongside our ongoing strategy of delivering deep expertise across a specialist category footprint, it becomes easier to understand why trusts across the whole of England and clients across the globe now class us as commercial partners.

Having said that, we are at heart and will remain a member-led organisation that will always start with local collaboration to deliver local value, local savings and local jobs before scaling those opportunities nationally.

Our clinical impact

We are proud that our work at NHS LPP has directly supported health improvements for many people across London.

One great example includes the RightBreathe Inhaler Portal. Nearly 500,000 Londoners are registered with an asthma diagnosis, with many more undiagnosed, and the rate of emergency respiratory hospital admissions across the capital at around one per hundred of the population per annum. NHS LPP hosts the hugely successful RightBreathe Inhaler Portal, guiding clinicians, patients and carers on making the best choices for their asthma care, reducing exacerbations and unscheduled care needs.

NHS LPP makes the portal freely available and accessible nationally, benefitting beyond London, supporting improved respiratory care, informed treatment choices and more sustainable prescribing practices across the NHS.

Our social value impact

NHS LPP’s approach helps suppliers connect contract delivery with the wider community and environmental benefits. Through our member contracts, NHS LPP has provided £11 million worth of social benefits (a social return on investment of 13.7%) to our member’s local communities, covering economic inequality, the environment, wellbeing and equal opportunities. We are proud to: 

• Support members and customers to reduce carbon emissions
• Embed social value models within NHS procurement systems
• Help suppliers create employment opportunities for local communities
• Provide social value training for members

Final words

The coming together of NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care in 2027, will provide even more opportunity for our members, clients and staff. We are well positioned to help the new department successfully land the 10-year health plan, the life sciences plan and the switch to neighbourhood health. Our innovation strategy will be published soon, and this will add clarity and emphasis to how we can enable and catalyse the three shifts while building a more resilient and responsive supply chain.

Twenty years after our journey began, NHS LPP has grown into one of the NHS's leading procurement hubs. Thank you to our members, suppliers, colleagues and partners who have been part of our journey over the past 20 years. Here's to the future!