HealthTrust Europe (HTE), today (25 March) published their EU Exit mitigation plan to counter risk from Brexit, to further support the continuity of high-quality patient care
In the UK, HTE serves 148 acute hospitals and 140 non-acute sites.
Following a 12-month preparatory period working in partnership with their healthcare providers and suppliers, the mitigation plan includes updated contract terms and conditions, fixed pricing and contractual protections for nearly 300 NHS and commercial health and care providers.
HTE currently works with 148 Acute Hospitals and 140 Non-Acute Sites in the UK, helping them to source the best value products and services to deliver patient care.
Following a review over the past year of the organisation’s readiness to support its customers and suppliers as the UK faces leaving the EU, HTE has prepared a risk mitigation plan to evaluate areas that will better ensure customers are supported during a withdrawal.
As a result of the review, HTE has updated its contract terms and conditions in October 2018 which ensure three core benefits for the NHS and commercial health and care providers:
- fixed pricing for the term of the contract with any delivery cost increases being the responsibility of the supplier;
- contractual protection to any risk of late delivery;
- contract improvements including explicitly excluding “Brexit” as a force majeure event.
HTE has also updated standard contract terms and conditions addressing the supplier’s obligation for continuity of supply of products and services along with compliance to the new GDPR regulations.
Commenting on the mitigation plan and updated contract terms, CEO for HealthTrust Europe, Dennis Robb said:
“It was imperative these steps were taken, and we felt it was our responsibility to provide complete transparency for our customers, suppliers and the wider healthcare community of what we are doing, and that we are here for them during this time of uncertainty.
“As part of an international healthcare organisation we can leverage over 50 years of experience and expertise in the face of adversity, we will continue to closely monitor the political and economic landscape and take every step necessary to support our partners in the NHS as well as commercial health and care providers going forward”.
The mitigation plan takes account of official guidance issued by the Department of Health and Social Care, as well as the views of HTE’s supplier community who were consulted in 2018 to assess potential risks to continuity of supply.
