The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7363 p216
20 August 2005

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NHS has potential to make substantial savings, says AAH

Huge savings could be made if the NHS updated its supply systems and adopted new business models, says Steve Dunn, group managing director of AAH Pharmaceuticals.

Following a recent admission by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt of a £140m deficit in the NHS, Mr Dunn called for the health service to address the financial problem that he believes has left pharmaceutical wholesalers acting as “de facto overdraft facilities”. Mr Dunn says that 80 per cent of hospitals in England owe over £1m on wholesalers’ invoices dating back over two years.

“Wholesalers aren’t charities, nor should we be acting like banks by giving hospitals overdrafts,” he said.