The NHS has changed the way it procures medical equipment to prioritise lifetime value over the up-front cost.
A new value-based procurement (VBP) model is being rolled out across the NHS in England.
This marks a significant shift away from procurement decisions based primarily on product price and towards a broader assessment of patient outcomes, experience, and whole-system value.
Several NHS pilot projects have already demonstrated the potential benefits of value-based procurement, especially around incontinence.
One pilot involving continence products reported reductions in product usage and leakages, alongside improvements in staff satisfaction and patient confidence, while also reducing the overall cost of care.
Hygiene and health company Essity, whose TENA products support people living with incontinence, has welcomed the rollout.
Richard Madison for the company, said: “For too long, procurement decisions have often been driven by the lowest purchase price rather than the outcomes delivered for patients and the wider healthcare system.
“Value-based procurement recognises that the cheapest product is not always the most cost-effective option.
“By considering factors such as patient experience, clinical outcomes, workforce impact, and overall system costs, the NHS can make decisions that improve patient outcomes while delivering better value for taxpayers.”
Data from Essity in 2025 found more than half (53 per cent) of 110 NHS Trusts which provided a response to a series of Freedom of Information requests admitted they are putting a cap on the number of essential products they provide to patients.
The FOI requests asked the NHS Trusts to confirm if they have put a cap in place for continence products often used to support patients in many instances including after bowel surgery.
It found 58 Trusts have a cap in place, with 34 per cent of those restricting patients to just three products a day, and 66 per cent limiting numbers to four.
The new rollout comes at a time when the NHS faces growing demand and significant financial pressures.
It will ensure patients are given the right products for their needs, rather than simply the cheapest.
With the potential cost reduction to the NHS projected at £500m per year for incontinence products alone.
Around 14 million people in the UK live with some degree of urinary incontinence, while the NHS spends an estimated £5.13 billion each year on incontinence-related care.
According to research of 500 healthcare professionals commissioned by Essity, 71 per cent believe patients could be more independent if the quality and fit of continence products were improved.
Advocates of the approach also point to evidence indicating that person-centred continence care can contribute to reductions in complications such as urinary tract infections and skin damage.
While helping to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and supporting patient mobility and wellbeing.
Richard Madison for Essity said: “Procurement is not simply a purchasing exercise.
“The products selected by the NHS can have a profound impact on a person's dignity, confidence, independence, and overall wellbeing.
“When patients receive products that are appropriate for their individual needs, the benefits extend far beyond the individual.
“We see reduced pressure on healthcare professionals, fewer avoidable complications and admissions, and ultimately better value for the NHS as a whole.”
