James Spittle’s role as SCCL Chair comes to an end

• James Spittle has decided to step down as SCCL Chair at the end of his three year term on 30 September 2021.
• Heather Tierney-Moore OBE, currently a non-executive director on SCCL’s Board will be appointed as Interim Chair.

James (Jim) Spittle has informed the SCCL Board that he has decided to step down from his role as Supply Chain Coordination Limited (SCCL, management function of NHS Supply Chain) Chair at the end of his three year term on 30 September 2021.  James was appointed as SCCL’s, first independent non-executive Chair on 17 September 2018. 

Melinda Johnson, Commercial Director at the Department of Health and Social Care who represents the Department on SCCL’s Board said “I would like to thank James for his commitment, dedicatation and support over the last three years.  We will miss him and wish him well for the future.    

“I am pleased to welcome Heather-Tierney Moore in her new role as Interim Chair of SCCL’s Board.  Heather is currently a non-executive director on SCCL’s Board and brings senior NHS management and clinical experience to the Board’s discussions.”

James said: “It has been a privilege to be Chair of SCCL the management function of NHS Supply Chain over the last three years. Our teams have delivered first class results in the most difficult of circumstances and have delivered exceptional results throughout, with of course more to do.

“We all know that the next few years will bring about further change and pressures on the NHS but I am confident that NHS Supply Chain will be up for the challenges presented.  I am delighted that Heather Tierney-Moore as Interim Chair and the board will effectively navigate the way ahead with the teams continued support and continue the focus on delivering greater value for the NHS’s front line.”

Heather Tierney-Moore OBE added: “I am delighted to be taking over as Chair to support our new CEO Andrew New and the whole enterprise at this crucial point in our development. I want to pay tribute to Jim’s leadership over the last three years that has provided such a strong platform upon which to deliver even greater success and value to the NHS. No doubt there are challenging times ahead but I am deeply committed to ensuring we maximise our contribution as a key partner across the system.”

James Spittle

Jim has enjoyed a highly successful career as a retailer for over 20 years working in retail operations, procurement and supply chain, the latter being his particular area of specialism. He has worked for leading brands, spending many years with Tesco plc, before moving to Kingfisher where he spent 8 years as Group Supply Chain Director.

Since 2001, he has held a number of executive roles and non-executive director roles, including as Chair of GS1UK, Cranfield University Advisory Board and at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) as past President and current Vice President.

Heather Tierney-Moore OBE

Heather has worked in healthcare for over 30 years, initially training as a registered general nurse.

Most recently, Heather was Chief Executive of Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, retiring in March 2019 after 10 years in post. She has extensive clinical experience and has held a wide range of clinical leadership roles, including Chief Nurse at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Nurse Director of Lothian NHS Board. Heather has held a number of non-executive director roles over the last 10 years across a range of national organisations.

Heather was made Officer of the British Empire for servicers to Healthcare by the Queen in December 2001.

About NHS Supply Chain

All information in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.

NHS Supply Chain manages the sourcing, delivery and supply of healthcare products, services and food for NHS trusts and healthcare organisations across England and Wales.

Managing more than 4.5 million orders per year, across 94,000 order points and 15,000 locations, NHS Supply Chain systems consolidate orders from over 900 suppliers, saving trusts time and money and removing duplication of overlapping contracts. 

Lord Carter’s report into efficiency and productivity in the NHS, published in 2016, identified unwarranted variation in procurement across the NHS, resulting in the need to improve operational efficiencies to transform a fragmented procurement landscape. To undertake this transformation the Department of Health and Social Care established the Procurement Transformation Programme (PTP) to deliver a new NHS Supply Chain.

The new NHS Supply Chain was designed to help the NHS deliver clinically assured, quality products at the best value, through a range of specialist buying functions. Its aim is to leverage the buying power of the NHS to negotiate the best deals from suppliers and deliver savings of £2.4 billion back into NHS frontline services by the end of the financial year 2022/23.

The new model consists of eleven specialist buying functions, known as Category Towers, delivering clinical consumables, capital medical equipment and non-medical products such as food and office solutions. Three enabling services for logistics, supporting technology and transactional services underpin the model.

Key benefits the new NHS Supply Chain will bring NHS trusts and suppliers include:

NHS Trusts

• Savings channelled back to frontline services.
• Releasing more time for core clinical activities.
• Greater NHS clinical involvement in purchasing decision.
• More effective introduction of new products.

Suppliers

• Single route into the national market.
• A joined-up approach across the NHS.
• Clear route for innovative products.
• Lowering sales and marketing costs.