02 November 2006 | Rebecca Ellinor

Nuffield Hospitals collected the top prize in the CIPS Supply Management Awards 2006.

The not-for-profit healthcare group received the overall award for purchasing from television comedian Dara O Briain at the gala dinner last week in London.

The organisation, which also won the most improved purchasing operation - step change award, was commended by judges, who remarked: "This entry was way ahead, showing real innovation. It was sparky, in a difficult and restrained sector. It could be used as a blueprint by any smaller organisation embarking on a similar journey."

The award recognised that Nuffield's purchasing function was transformed from being a "sleepy hollow" to its procurement team being embedded as trusted advisers to senior management.

Prior to "Project Prime" - as the change programme was dubbed - around 70 per cent of operating costs were influenced by clinical preferences and procurement was fragmented across 40 hospitals.

The transformation meant the cost base was to be cut by £23.6 million - 18 per cent of the organisation's spend on goods and services. It also meant purchasers had to tackle strong power groups - medical consultants and the pharmaceutical industry.

Benefits achieved so far include annual savings of more than £1 million by moving to the standard bill of materials list for medical products, a bigger saving from downsizing storage facilities, and more than £50,000 from innovative use of technology to answer questions from colleagues.

Matt Oxley, associate director of property and procurement at Nuffield Hospitals, said: "If you want to give value to the management team you have to give value to the bottom line - and we did that." Nuffield Hospitals was one of 10 organisations to collect a prize in front of almost 1,000 guests at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

The winners in the two individual categories were Steve Wills from Axa, who was named CIPS Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year, and Laura Langstaff of Ealing Council who collected the CIPS Young Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year accolade.

Ariba was the event's headline sponsor for the third year. Hays Purchasing & Supply, Atos Consulting, the Office of Government Commerce and RS also sponsored the event.



CIPS SM AWARDS 2006 Winners

• Overall winner
  
  Nuffield Hospitals
  
  Team awards
  
  
• Best contribution to corporate responsibility BT
  
  
• Best cross-functional teamwork BAE Systems
  
  
• Best people development initiative HSBC
  
  
• Best process improvement initiative Fujitsu Services
  
  
• Best purchaser-supplier partnership Venture Production and Subsea 7
  
  
• Best purchasing initiative from a smaller organisation The Salvation Army
  
  
• Most improved purchasing operation - start-up B&Q
  
  
• Most improved purchasing operation - step change Nuffield Hospitals
  
  
• Best use of technology Taylor Woodrow
• Best public procurement project Environment Agency
  
  Individual awards
  
  
• CIPS Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year Steve Wills, Axa
  
  
• CIPS Young Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year Laura Langstaff, Ealing Council

Profiles of all the winners will appear in the next issue of SM.

See our video clips of the awards ceremony*

Nuffield Hopitals reflect on a highly successful evening, picking up two awards including the title of Overall winners.
[Flash] [Quicktime] [Windows media]

Steve Wills, Cips Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year, on why the award is great recognition for his entire team
[Flash] [Quicktime] [Windows media]

A short interview with Laura Langstaff, winner of the Cips Young Purchasing and Supply Management Professional of the Year award.
[Flash] [Quicktime] [Windows media]

The Salvation Army after collecting their award for the Best purchasing initiative by a smaller organisation.
[Flash] [Quicktime] [Windows media]

That winning feeling (part 1) Watch the following awards winners take their bow: Laura Langstaff (Ealing Council), Steve Wills (Axa), BAE Systems, HSBC, Fujitsu Services
[Flash]  [Quicktime]  [Windows media]

That winning feeling (part 2): Taylor Woodrow, Venture Production and Subsea 7, The Salvation Army, B&Q
[Flash]  [Quicktime]  [Windows media]

That winning feeling (part 3): Nuffield Hospitals, BT, Environment Agency, Nuffield Hospitals (overall winners)
[Flash]  [Quicktime]  [Windows media]

*Please note, you will need either the Quicktime or Flash plug-ins, or Windows Media Player installed to view these video files

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