Managed equipment service (MES) contracts have long been used by the NHS as a means to replace medical equipment without capital expenditure. The contract usually involves the MES supplier providing equipment within a package of services including maintenance and provision of consumables, paid for by the customer from operating expenditure. In addition, it is often possible for the customer to recover VAT through the contracted out service rules. However, the two main features of a MES, avoidance of capital expenditure and recovery of VAT, are about to become more challenging to achieve due to the implementation of IFRS 16. This article explores the issues and proposes a solution for some situations.
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This is an edited version of an article first published on the HCI Group web site in 2017. Digital pathology is now widely accepted as an essential part of the future for histopathology departments. The technology has improved massively in recent years, and advances in computational pathology are also coming to market, with advances in artificial intelligence applications not far behind. Both technologies rely on moving histopathology to digital imaging. With the forecast shortfall in consultant histopathologist numbers in five years[i] and ever increasing workloads, it is difficult to justify leaving consultant histopathologists with inefficient workflows that waste their time looking for slides, matching slides with previous samples and sending slides through the postal system and via couriers for second and third opinions. This is an edited version of an article first published on LinkedIn Pulse on 8 June 2018. There has been a lot of debate in the health service and national press recently about the increasing number of NHS Trusts setting up wholly owned subsidiaries. To date I have not read anything that accurately describes the commercial model for these companies, as much of the published literature is from a particular political ideology or from NHS Providers communicating the message ‘nothing to see here’. Much of the controversy surrounding wholly owned subsidiaries is the ability to make VAT savings and the potential to remunerate staff on less favorable terms and conditions. There have also been accusations of privatisation via the back door. Having recently supported a NHS Foundation Trust in the south of England to set up a wholly owned subsidiary to deliver fully managed healthcare facilities, in this article I explain from an unbiased perspective the issues to consider and the typical commercial model.
The recent proposal for NHS pathology laboratories in England to consolidate into 29 networks has renewed interest in partnership options for pathology laboratories. This ebook, available for free download, provides guidance and tips on how to proceed, based on experience.
No personal data will be collected and nobody will contact you. Simply pay with a tweet, or LinkedIn share. Below is an interesting article available to download on NHS / private pathology partnerships, with a contribution from Magrath Consulting. The article was written by freelance journalist Ann McGauran and first published in the December 2016 / January 2017 LangBuisson journal, Healthcare Markets. It is reproduced here with permission.
The recent letter from NHS Improvement (NHSI) left Trusts in no doubt about the regulator’s expectations for pathology consolidation as part of a series of measures aimed at restoring financial control. All trusts were asked to send a two-page note for pathology services for their sustainability and transformation (STP) footprint to NHSI by 31 July 2016, setting out:
In this infographic, I make the case for scanned medical records as part of an integrated electronic patient records strategy. The numbers I have used (file sizes, sheet numbers) are for a typical medium to large NHS acute hospital. As part of a paperless strategy, scanning medical records brings the historical information into patients' electronic patient records. The process is now well established and modern electronic document records management systems have advanced search and annotation tools to simplify their use. The infographic can be downloaded from the link below.
For the pitfalls to avoid, see my previous blog, Digitising Medical Records: What the sales reps don't tell you.
With most Private Patient Units (PPUs) now generating annual revenues ranging from £300k to £1m per bed there has never been a better time to set up a PPU. In this article I explain the options and the regulatory issues to consider when setting up a PPU, including procurement legislation, state aid rule interpretation and competition legislation. Many hospitals now outsource the dispensing of outpatient medicines. There are many benefits from doing so, including financial. For a medium sized acute hospital, the financial benefits are typically a few hundred thousand pounds a year. Having recently completed an outsource deal for two hospitals in Essex, here is my summary of the commercial model. Six years on from Lord Carter's second phase review and pathology consolidation is starting to pick up pace in the UK. During 2015 we have seen a growing number of enquiries about how to consolidate pathology and what model offers the greatest potential. My previous blog, available here, gives advice on this. Below is an infographic file available for download that plots the main developments since Lord Carter's second phase review of pathology in England and Wales. I have posted an article on Linkedin that provides commentary on this.
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Mark Magrath MBAI am a management consultant with 12 years experience as an executive director in an NHS Foundation Trust, including 10 years as Deputy Chief Executive. I only write blogs on projects and assignments that I have personally led. My aim is to write amazing content that combines real world experience with insightful advice. Categories
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