Clinical Commissioning Groups urged to buy ethical services
Date published:
2014-07-20T00:00:00
Details:
In the UK the NHS spends more than £40 billion a year on the procurement of goods and services. The supply chains that provide these are global and employ millions of people worldwide. There is a growing evidence that, in some cases, the basic employment rights of people in these supply chains are being infringed. This can directly affect the health of employees e.g. as a result of unsafe working conditions or pay that falls below the living wage.
Doctors are pressing commissioners to build a more ethical NHS. The BMA and Royal College of GPs have written a joint letter to all 211 Clinical Commissioning Groups in England outlining new guidance on ethical procurement.
The letter is part of a programme of activities urging commissioners to consider the impact of purchasing decisions beyond their immediate populations.
It points CCGs towards the BMA and RCGP guide, Ethical Procurement for GPs and CCGs, published in May, which outlines actions CCGs and individual GPs can take.
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