As the Brexit deadline day approaches and the UK prepares to transition out of the European Union from 1st January 2021, HealthTrust Europe is working to ensure that the best possible care will be delivered for our customers. In order to do this, we are preparing for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, or a non-comprehensive trade deal.
Our work in assessing and preparing for the impact of Brexit on procurement and supply chains has included:
Assess Supplier Risk Profile and Mitigation Activity
- Having undertaken an extensive due diligence exercise in 2019, HealthTrust Europe is undertaking a further comprehensive due diligence exercise with its supplier base to assess potential risks to continuity of supply for contracted items, taking into account new suppliers and the impact COVID-19 may have had on any previous Brexit contingency plans.
- HealthTrust Europe’s contracting teams are currently in the process of assessing suppliers as high, medium, or low risk.
- For suppliers rated as high or medium risk, contracting teams are working with the supplier community to understand contingency plans and are determining the potential to move products and services to lower risk suppliers.
- In each of these cases, if necessary, HealthTrust Europe is able to leverage our relationship with our parent company in the USA with strategic suppliers to reduce customer risk.
Manage Legal Risk
- HealthTrust Europe undertook a review of our standard contract terms and conditions addressing the supplier’s obligations relating to continuity of supply of products and services along with compliance to the new GDPR regulations.
- The contractual approach that HealthTrust Europe has taken to ensure continuity of supply, and provide contractual protection, consists of the following core elements:
- Pricing – Efforts are being made to ensure continuity of pricing throughout the key Brexit period by fixing pricing for the term of contracts entered into.
- Delivery – To protect against late delivery, standard terms require suppliers to deliver in accordance with timescales, dates and instructions set out in any specification, tender response, or order.
- Delivery Costs – To cover off any increased delivery costs, standard terms state suppliers shall be responsible for all costs associated with delivery.
- Force Majeure – Brexit has been explicitly excluded as a force majeure event in HealthTrust Europe’s standard terms and conditions from October 2018 onwards, with enforcement of this clause being strict.
- Regulatory Compliance – In the standard HealthTrust Europe terms, suppliers are required to supply all goods and services in accordance with applicable law. Definition of applicable law is wide and includes regulations; to cover any future changes to laws and regulations introduced post-Brexit.
Ensuring that we are Brexit ready and able to continue supporting our valued customers is our priority at this challenging time. If you or your organisation are concerned about the implications of Brexit or have any questions about what it will mean for you, please get in contact with our dedicated customer care teams on 0845 887 5000 or email at customercare@htepg.com.
Our team is on-hand to deal with any customer queries, and we are committed to supporting our customers and partners with solutions to protect staff and patients during these unprecedented times.
