Identification of Gaps and Incremental Improvements in Procurement Management for YAS NHS:
In the context of procurement management within YAS NHS, several gaps and opportunities for improvement have been identified:
- Budget Code Application: Presently, there is no mechanism in place to apply the budget code before submitting a procurement request. This deficiency can lead to requests being submitted without the necessary budget code, potentially causing delays in the procurement process.
- Sanity Check for Completeness: Another gap is the absence of a sanity check to ensure that all request details are complete. This oversight could result in incomplete requests or important information being omitted, which, in turn, may hinder the procurement process.
- Request Status Tracking: Currently, there is no means to track the status of a procurement request. The lack of this tracking capability can lead to confusion and delays as stakeholders may not be aware of the request’s current status.
- Approval Process Delays: Delays have been observed in the approval process, and there is insufficient visibility regarding responsibility for these delays in specific requests.
- Accountability and Invoice Management: Lastly, there are issues related to accountability, as well as instances of missing invoices and payment information.
Addressing these identified gaps and introducing the following incremental improvements will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the procurement management process:
- Mandatory Budget Code Submission: Implement a mandatory requirement for requesters to provide the budget code before submitting a procurement request. This ensures that all requests are budgeted correctly and minimizes the potential for delays due to missing codes.
- Comprehensive Request Validation: Introduce a thorough validation process to ensure that all required information is included in each request. This validation step will significantly reduce the likelihood of incomplete requests and missing crucial details.
- Request Status Tracking System: Develop a request status tracking system that provides real-time updates to stakeholders. This transparency will help everyone involved stay informed about the progress of each request, reducing confusion and delays.
- Streamlined Approval Workflow: Streamline the approval process to minimize delays. Assign clear responsibilities and establish accountability for timely approvals to prevent bottlenecks.
- Enhanced Invoice and Payment Management: Implement improved systems and processes to enhance accountability for invoices and payment tracking, ensuring all financial aspects are accounted for accurately.
By implementing these incremental improvements, YAS NHS can significantly enhance its procurement management process, reducing delays, improving accountability, and streamlining overall operations.