On 4 December 2025, the East of England Clinical Procurement Forum brought together procurement leaders, clinicians and industry partners to explore opportunities for smarter, more collaborative procurement across the region. The event focused on leveraging data insights, aligning with national ambitions and tackling fragmentation in clinical supply chains.
Why this forum matters
The NHS faces increasing financial pressures and a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. Against this backdrop, the EOE Clinical Procurement Forum provided a platform to share best practices, discuss strategic priorities, and identify actionable opportunities for cost savings and improved patient outcomes.
The agenda covered:
- NHS Spend Comparison Service (SCS2) – unlocking data-driven insights for smarter procurement.
- MedTech industry perspective on the NHS 10-Year Plan – understanding ambitions and challenges.
- Value-based healthcare – lessons learned and next steps.
- Regional workplan and financial update – shaping priorities for 2026.
Key themes and insights
1. Harnessing data for smarter decisions
Levente Fazekas introduced the NHS Spend Comparison Service (SCS2), a benchmarking tool designed to give trusts full visibility of pricing, spend patterns and supply route opportunities.
Five core modules include PO-based price benchmarking, AP spend analysis, national catalogue search, NHS Supply Chain data, and Atamis contract spend mapping.
Data flows remain a challenge, with some trusts loading irregularly or not at all. Regular uploads are essential to unlock the full potential of benchmarking and identify savings opportunities.
2. The NHS 10 Year Plan: Ambition vs reality
Beth Loudon from the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) shared a breakdown of the key messages on the NHS 10 Year Plan.
The plan is described as an ambition rather than a fixed roadmap, with bold language around becoming ‘global leaders in innovation’ and delivering ‘low-friction procurement’.
AI features prominently, but questions remain about system readiness and digital connectivity standards.
Procurement reform, including the Procurement Act and new policy notes, aims to drive value-based procurement and greater collaboration, but clarity and consistency are still needed to avoid decision paralysis for suppliers and startups.
3. Tackling fragmentation in advanced woundcare
Simon Bright presented on the advanced woundcare landscape, highlighting a £12m regional spend and significant fragmentation across suppliers.
The region is exploring a single mini competition for the next financial year to consolidate procurement and deliver savings.
This initiative could serve as a blueprint for broader collaboration in general woundcare and potentially national-level partnerships.
Short-term plans include stakeholder engagement, project planning and securing clinical and financial commitment to move forward.
4. Value-based healthcare
Paula McNamara-Jones emphasised the importance of moving away from product-based procurement toward value-based models that prioritize patient outcomes and long-term benefits. This approach aligns with national ambitions and offers a pathway to sustainable healthcare delivery.
Summary
The Forum reinforced the need for:
- Data-driven decision-making to identify cost-saving opportunities.
- Regional collaboration to tackle fragmentation and unlock economies of scale.
- Clear digital standards to enable innovation and connectivity.
- Value-based procurement as a cornerstone of future strategies.
As we move into 2026, the East of England region is committed to turning these insights into action, delivering smarter procurement, better value and improved patient care.
Looking ahead
The next edition of the forum is on 26 March. If you would like to join, email [email protected] to secure your place.