New NHS barcode system to deliver procurement savings

A new system of barcodes is to be introduced in NHS purchasing to ensure that procurement is being conducted as cost-effectively as possible.

The new initiative, announced by health minister Simon Burns, will see standardised GS-1 barcodes used on products across the health service to make it easier to track and compare pricing and spending levels.

It comes in response to concerns that some hospitals may be paying up to three times as much as others to purchase the same products, with the new move set to save the NHS millions of pounds.

The Department of Health expressed confidence that this will also help to improve patient safety by reducing the risk of medication errors and wrong-site surgery.

Mr Burns said: "This is a vital opportunity to save money for reinvestment in frontline care at a time when the NHS needs to make efficiency savings."

It comes after the Committee of Public Accounts published a report last month stating that improving NHS procurement methods could result in savings of 1.2 billion pounds.