Corporate Information

Collaborative Procurement

The Procurement Department has developed a collaboration model. This model allows the Trust to remain independent to utilise its own buying expertise to offer the market true commitment.  Where applicable the Trust can collaborate with other organisations to leverage an economy of scale, using multiple collaborative bodies allows the Trust to select its partners dependent on the portfolio it wishes to buy.

Countess' Collaborative Partners

North West Purchasing Consortium

The Countess of Chester's Director of Commercial Procurement Services, Andrew O'Connor, is the current chair of the regional collaborative purchasing consortium of NHS Trusts, the North West Purchasing Consortium (NWPC).

The NWPC undertake a variety of collaborative procurement exercises, with members opting in to projects which suit their specific requirements. NWPC also qualify for commitment rebates offered through NHS Supply Chain, offering true commitment to the marketplace.

 NWPC consists of the following Trusts:

Full Members

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Trust

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Associate Members

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust                                               

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust                                                                 

 
NHS Supply Chain

The Countess of Chester facilitate a number of its collaborative agreements through NHS Supply Chain

Bespoke Collaboration

The Countess of Chester has facilitated a number of bespoke collaborations and is actively seeking partners to undertake strategic procurement exercises with.  Historically Collaborations within the NHS have been undertaken regionally but the Countess firmly believes that geographic boundaries should not constrain collaborative opportunities if it shares a common goal with another organisation further afield.

The Countess of Chester has worked with Trusts such as Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust and Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust

Government Procurement Service

The Countess engages in pan-Government collaborations through the utilisation of Crown Commercial Services Framework agreements.