NHS Supply Chain have announced that a new Chair of the NHS Customer Board for Procurement and Supply has been appointed.
Sir James Mackey, the Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, will attend meetings with the current Chair, Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, with the intention to take over in early 2021.
The Board has taken this appointment so that they can continue with their particular focus on the new NHS Supply Chain operating model. The National Board oversees four regional boards, North, Midlands, South and London.
Sir James said:
“I am delighted to be joining the Board and very keen to ensure NHS Trusts’ views on procurement are reflected within the organisation’s plan in order to influence the procurement landscape.
“COVID-19 has impacted on us all and placed even more importance on a resilient, effective and efficient NHS supply chain. In addition, the NHS should be focussed on what we should be doing as a system to support areas such as local and national economic recovery, linked to where products are procured, locally/nationally versus overseas.
“Working together, learning from each other enabling the understanding of the wider value that NHS Supply Chain brings to NHS trusts is an opportunity for us all.”
Chair of the SCCL Board, Jim Spittle, welcomed the appointment of Mr Mackey, and commended Mr Carruthers on his work for NHS Supply Chain.
“I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Sir Ian for his many years of strong leadership and commitment to the National Customer Board for Procurement and Supply. Sir Ian brought a wealth of experience on how the NHS operates as a system, supporting the Customer Board to navigate complex changes during his terms of office, such as the introduction of the New NHS Supply Chain operating model.
“I would like to welcome Sir James to the Board and I look forward to working with him to continue to shape the NHS’s procurement strategy to ensure that its focusses on the needs of NHS trusts.”
