CASE STUDY NHS foundation trust has signed a deal with private health provider BMI Healthcare for a new wholesaler and procurement service covering the supply of all general medical and surgical consumables. The framework agreement is open to all London trusts to access. The aim of the deal is to introduce a more competitive procurement service by combining the purchasing scale of the NHS and BMI Healthcare, and leverage existing infrastructure and capabilities to secure savings. The trust hopes that this will improve efficiency and release funds for frontline care According to BMI, the agreement has the potential to influence more than 150m of London medical consumable spending. David Lawson, director of procurement at NHS' foundation trust and Kings College hospital foundation trust, said: "This agreement is an example of how the public and private sector can work in partnership to establish an innovative model for NHS procurement." "It will meet the needs and priorities of London hospitals, and provide total transparency, and support to drive and co-ordinate product standardisation. Commitment contracting will guarantee the volumes to secure greater discounts from suppliers. "For NHS foundation trust this forms part of a wider strategy to transform the supply chain through automated stock management systems, just-in- time delivery, and consolidation of suppliers through prime wholesalers." i) Describe the competitive procurement services obtained by NHS through procuring the supply of all general medical and surgical consumables from BMI Healthcare (5 marks). ii) Discuss the strategy devised by NHS to achieve the efficiency in procuring the services from the suppliers