PRINT MANAGEMENT
P Managing print costs effectively
Trusts are looking for any opportunity to reduce costs and wasteful activities which divert resources away from frontline care. One area where trusts can make these savings is in print management, reports Richard Mackillican
rint costs may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to NHS spending,
but the number of things which trusts need to have printed can be extensive ranging from standard requirements such as case note folders and general business forms to new products such as patient wristbands, which may include advanced technology such as RFID tags.
Organising these demands can be an extremely demanding job but by outsourcing those print management needs, a trust can relieve itself of some of the pressure, according to Andrew Pearce, chief executive of the Independent Print Industries Association.
“By bringing a print
management specialist on board NHS organisations can achieve many benefits, such as reducing their non-core activity spend.
For example, there may be trusts which have a number of different people who are all responsible for the procurement of separate small amounts of printing services.
“This means that not only are all of those people having to take themselves away from duties which could deliver better value to the patient, but they are also not utilising their joint buying power to reduce the overall cost of their printing needs.
38 nhe
“Managing all of these requirements can be a very demanding task and, like everything else in the health service, needs to be carried out with precision and attention to detail.
“This means that a trust’s print requirements need to be managed in a way which ensures that they are on-brand and being procured in the most cost effective way possible.”
Collaborative procurement is taking hold in many parts of the public sector including the NHS and there have been many examples of how significant cost savings can be made by using this system.
According to Andrew, however, the argument for using a print management expert is about far more than just cost.
“By using an expert it removes the day to day hassle of working with multiple printers, across what can often be a wide range of products and requirements. Also, if the staff making these separate print procurement decisions are not experts in that area, then they run the risk of buying inferior products.
“However, the main reason for NHS organisations to entrust their printing needs to a print management expert is to allow trusts to focus their finances, infrastructure and staff on their core activities which certainly isn’t to buy print but to deliver the best quality patient care possible.”
Andrew has many members who deal with the NHS and has found that many trusts are now using a specialist.
One company from Liverpool is currently dealing with about 15
different trusts at the moment.
He attributes that success to the fact that they have developed such a good model that once one trust has begun using it, others quickly follow as good reports are spread by word of mouth.
“Whilst we don’t have exact figures as to how many trusts do use print management specialists, it is safe to say that a significant number are now taking advantage of the benefits which using such a service provides.”
What are the key qualities Andrew thinks NHS managers should look for from an effective print management specialist?
“Trust managers should be looking for a print management business which has a wide portfolio of products. The company should also have a good IT infrastructure in place, along with a good account management structure.
“The specialist should also have the ability to hold on to stock because one of the advantages of using a print manager is that trusts can pay on delivery, meaning that items can be produced but not necessarily paid for until they are delivered, which can help trusts with cash flow issues.
“Again, from an IT perspective the company should have a good web to print ordering system. This is useful for trusts which have products which need to look basically the same but have different content such as business cards.
“This means that there will be a basic template with all the rules around branding already programmed in which anyone with the right level of clearance
can access, input their details and then order themselves some new stock.
“A good print manager should also enable you to carry out accurate reporting, particularly around stock, to ensure that the trust never run out of essential items.
“The company should be able to help with brand management, covering issues such as the tone of voice of documents and with compliance.
A skilled print manager will not only proof read the material for things like grammar but also use the knowledge which they have gained to ensure the documents are compliant with NHS regulations.
“Organisational branding is not just about print products either but includes things like promotional giveaways.
“Print managers can also be used to get good deals on things like office furniture and supplies and so it is important that trusts use their print managers as effectively as possible to get the best deal and the best products.”
In a time of financial constraint, Andrew believes print managers can offer trusts better value by carrying out print audits.
This is where they investigate every use of printed material at the trust and then work to bring them under the one umbrella, thereby ensuring ease and efficiency in its procurement along with a significant reduction in duplication and unnecessary spending.
“Once initial savings have been made, the print manager will then look to come up with justified cost savings every year.”
Jul/Aug 10
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100