Welsh Conservatives today expressed concerns at rising costs of hiring specialist equipment to support extremely obese patients.
Figures obtained by the Welsh Conservatives reveal that Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board is spending thousands of pounds repeatedly hiring equipment, when it would be far more cost-effective to purchase.
The organisation spent £69,901 hiring bariatric beds over the past five years.For the same amount of money the LHB could have purchased nine such beds.
Over the same period, the LHB spent £26,600 hiring bariatric armchairs, despite a purchase price of only £345 each.
In June 2006 the LHB hired a specialist commode for £250, but in December 2009 purchased one for only £25 more – at £275.
Nick Ramsay AM, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services, said, “These figures suggest that LHBs are looking at a year’s budget in isolation by repeatedly hiring specialist equipment which they could easily purchase, thereby saving thousands of pounds every year.
“Local Health Boards, like all public bodies need to plan their finances for the long-term to make the best use of the money available to them.
“The Assembly Government should consider the possibility of a national procurement strategy to examine the way in which LHBs hire or purchase equipment to ensure value for money across the NHS.
“At a time when Labour-Plaid is cutting the NHS budget by £1billion over the next three years, we must ensure that the money available to Local Health Boards is spent effectively.
“These figures also show how far Labour-Plaid Ministers are from achieving their ideological pledge to end the role of private sector companies in the delivery of NHS services.”
