Local Economy Boost Will Save Millions for NHS

Click image to watch source video:

Local Economy Boost Led by Nottingham Hospitals NHS Trust :
Better late than never!

I was absolutely delighted to hear this news … it’s been a long time getting there.

Having been involved in the private sector of the care industry from the early 1980′s to 2000, the sourcing of local ingredients by the NHS was one of the improvements that private operators were always pushing for and for very obvious reasons.

Not only does locally sourced food provide high quality, nutritious and fresh produce for patient meals, it also supports the local economy, keeping local farmers and producers, in business!

Way back then, as far as the private sector was concerned, sourcing local produce as we did, was simply common sense, it made business sense and was better for those we cared for.

In those days there was the move in the NHS to contracting out, centralisation, mass purchasing and just in time delivery from global sources, so sadly, the local economy and therefore local farmers and producers were left to deal with the lingering decline that was starting to affect their industry and their future work life balance.

There was a misconception in the NHS that local sourcing wasn’t cost effective, as outlined by Mr Hughes:-

Mr Hughes says the idea of getting his beef from down the road rather than South America sounded good but he thought it would be too expensive.

He was also concerned there would not be enough fresh local produce to fill his cupboards.

“I was happy to be proved wrong on both counts,” he said. “This was one of the tough decisions I think we’d be cheered to the rafters for taking.”

Yes Mr Hughes, I cheer you to the rafters for taking this ‘tough’ (?) decision.

More NHS Hospitals To Follow Their Lead?

Seriously, I do cheer them for actually taking this step forward and I genuinely hope that it spreads across the country and quickly!

I believe they’ve been working hard on this project since around 2003 and that they’re on target to date. Not sure why it’s taken over 20 years for the penny to drop or 7 years to implement, but well done and keep it going for goodness sake.

The local economy, the farmers and producers and the patients will all benefit.

Now that Mr Hughes and team have been successful, it would be fantastic to see the same improvements in other hospitals.

Liberal-Conservative Economic Savings in the NHS

Just wondering if the new liberal-conservative Government knows that they can potentially save, according to one BBC report, over £400 million of the NHS budget!

“It doesn’t actually cost any more and you are actually going to invest in local communities and the local suppliers you want to develop. On top of that it’s actually going to save the NHS millions of pounds a year.”

Please Mr Hughes – Tell the Government!!!!!

A £400 million saving is a good start which at the same time will stimulate growth at home in our local communities, just the sort of progress we need in the current financial climate.

If our local farmers and producers are supported and put back on a sound financial footing through such a scheme, maybe they can go on to start giving the supermarket giants a good run for their money too!

and…

Perhaps the LC Government can leave the blooming VAT rate alone!!!!!

I love the passage of time……..

(one of my rants) lol
Do you support your local farmers?