NHS consultancy transparency call

Consultancy spending in the NHS is thought to be rising

Greater transparency is needed to ensure the NHS gets value for money from management consultants, MPs say.

The House of Commons' Health Committee said it was unacceptable there was not a full breakdown of spending.

Last year was the first time the NHS accounts included any figure on consultants fees - more than £300m was spent in the course of the 12 months.

But the MPs said there needed to be a in-depth review as consultants defended their role in the health service.

Public spending on external consultants is thought to have risen in recent years.

The industry has nothing to fear from increased scrutiny and transparency Alan Leaman, of the Management Consultancies Association

Earlier this year a survey by GP magazine Pulse suggested it may even have trebled in the NHS in the past two years alone.

The situation has prompted the British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing to call for a scaling back in the use of consultants in light of the credit crunch.

While the health service has its spending guaranteed until 2011, it is widely expected there will then be a budget freeze or even cut after that as ministers try to reduce the national debt.

The MPs said with such financial constraints in mind it was essential to get to grips with spending on areas such as external consultants.

Value for money

Committee member Dr Howard Stoate said: "We need more transparency. Over the years the spending has hardly been documented and therefore we do not know if we are getting value for money.

"There will probably always be a place for the expertise from consultants, but it may be that in some cases we could use the managers and staff already working in the health service rather than going outside."

The committee's report called for details to be published on the daily rates consultants charge and lists of which firms NHS trusts were using.

It also suggested the Department of Health could carry out a review into their use.

Dr Stoate, who is a GP, said: "In light of the financial situation, we have to ensure NHS funds are being used as efficiently as possible."

Alan Leaman, chief executive of the Management Consultancies Association, said: "At a time of significant change in the NHS and rising public expectations, management consultants are making a really valuable contribution to patient care and efficiency.

"The industry has nothing to fear from increased scrutiny and transparency."