Committee News Release
CAU 007/2004
Friday 15 October, 2004
MANAGEMENT OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE IMPROVED
The management of medical equipment by the NHS in Scotland should be improved, according to a report published today by the Parliament's Audit Committee.
The report follows the Committee's inquiry into the issues raised in the report by the Auditor General for Scotland (AGS) “Better equipped to care? Follow-up report on managing medical equipment” AGS/2004/2.
The Committee recommends that the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) set clear standards for the management of medical equipment by NHS Boards and concludes that better information is needed if NHS Boards are to assess future medical equipment needs more effectively.
The Committee also concludes that risk should be better managed, particularly for low cost pieces of equipment.
Committee Convener Brian Monteith said:
“ Our inquiry led us to conclude that the management of medical equipment can and should be improved.
“NHS Boards should be provided with clear standards against with their performance can be measured to ensure accountability.
“The Committee believes that current information gathering activity is inadequate, despite the considerable resource tied up in the collation of statistics.
“Better information is needed if gaps in the provision of medical equipment are to be identified and addressed and if the performance of NHS Boards is to be effectively measured.”
In the report the Committee states that SEHD's role in achieving and maintaining improvement must be strategic and should not attempt to prescribe in detail the quality and quantity of medical equipment purchased by NHS Boards. However, the Committee recommends that SEHD develop a strategic national approach to the management of medical equipment which:
• Better manages risk, particularly in relation to low cost high volume items;
• Improves information for assessing future need so that gaps in provision are identified and addressed;
• Delivers a nationally agreed minimum data set; and
• Provides NHS Boards with clear standards against which their performance will be measured to ensure accountability.
Background notes:
The Audit Committee's report is available on the Scottish Parliament's website.
The report sets out the Committee's findings and recommendations in relation to its inquiry into the report of the Auditor General for Scotland (AGS) entitled:
“Better equipped to care? Follow-up report on managing medical equipment” AGS/2004/2. This report is available online at: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk
The Audit Committee held an oral evidence session on 25 May 2004 when it took evidence from the Scottish Executive Health Department.
In undertaking the inquiry the Committee sought to examine the health department's leadership role in the management of medical equipment and information to support performance management and accountability for medical equipment.
The contact for members of the media is:
Richard Holligan: 0131 348 6269
For specific committee information, contact:
Shelagh McKinlay: 0131 348 5390
email: shelagh.mckinlay@scottish.parliament.uk
For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 34 85000
For general enquiries, contact: 0845 278 1999 (local
call rate)
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk