PROCUREMENT PROFILE
Saving public money through reducing costs and increasing efficiency
A
s public spending is facing an intensity of scrutiny not seen for a generation, the Comprehensive Spending Review brings a world where savings and efficiency are the order of the day. This is why health service organisations are looking longer and harder not just at the cost of such things as legacy IT platforms underpinning their payments processes but also the quality of management information they have access to.
Organisations in the National Health Service are seeking to answer fundamental questions such as who is spending money, where are they spending it, why are they spending it, when are they spending it and are they getting the best possible deal from a procurement perspective.
A key part of managing the challenge is showing that public spending is transparent, trackable and controlled. Now, the public and the media want to know that adequate checks and balances are in place to ensure public money is not being wasted - making reliable systems for managing and tracking payments all the more vital.
Across the UK public sector, organisations are taking advantage of the commercial payment products and services offered by MasterCard’s issuing partners.
The Government Procurement Card addresses many of the issues facing NHS organisations including cashable and efficiency savings, transparency of spend, tight controls, the prompt payment initiative and replacement of cheques.
people,” says Steve Shirley from MasterCard. “That’s why, during 2010, MasterCard has become a leading financial partner for public sector bodies and organisations.
As departments, agencies and other public bodies face unprecedented budget cuts, maximising value from each purchase is vital as is minimising the cost of the purchasing process imperative.
Purchasing (or procurement) cards were originally developed to modernise and improve the efficiency of an organisation’s low value procurement process. However, they should now be seen as a part of a solution that goes beyond low value orders. In addition to fulfilling purchasing and payment requirements, cards bring optimal benefits when used as part of an overall procurement and payments strategy.
MasterCard’s commitment to driving efficiency in the UK public sector is demonstrated by the range of efficient electronic payment solutions that are available under the new four year payment card solutions & associated services framework agreement– established by Buying Solutions, part of the Efficiency and Reform Group in the Cabinet Office – for procuring payment cards for use by public sector organisations.
These include: MasterCard Smart Data Nov/Dec 10
– a service that provides users with 24/7 on-line access to all transactions for complete security.
MasterCard inControl™ – an innovative platform that enables advanced authorisation controls and intelligent transaction routing, as well as a robust alert functionality designed to enhance security.
VAT Recovery – this HM Revenue and Customs certified system allows organisations to estimate how much VAT has been paid and estimate how much might be recovered.
The migration towards e-payment solutions is already underway and NHS organisations are already sweeping away legacy paper- based systems and replacing them with card based platforms.
“It’s clear that in the current economic climate, NHS organisations are recognising their responsibility to be at the forefront of innovation to ensure they deliver genuine value for money to the British
FOR MORE INFORMATION For further information about government procurement cards:
W:
www.mastercard.co.uk/publicsector nhe 47
“Our sophisticated purchasing control services drive up efficiency and transparency for public bodies of all sizes. Over the coming four years, we are confident that many more organisations within the NHS will recognise the benefits of MasterCard’s innovative cost control services.”
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