MORE than 90 jobs are under threat at a Chester-based agency tasked with ensuring the NHS gets value for money when buying goods and services.
The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) in Lightfoot Street, Hoole, is being restructured and the Department of Health has confirmed jobs could be lost.
The 93 workers work to ensure the NHS in England makes the best use of its resources by getting the best value for money when buying goods and services so more money can be spent on patient care.
In the past five years, PASA has saved the NHS more than £1 billion, but a review of the organisation could bring about a number of redundancies among its own employees.
As well as the Chester office, there is also a branch in Reading as well as employees in London and home workers.
Gail Stephens, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health explained that alot of the work carried out will be transferred across other organisations.
She said: “As part of the recommendations of the new Commercial Operating Model for the DH and NHS, some elements and functions of the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) will be transferred to organisations that can add greater scope, scale and impact to the procurement of goods and services.
“The detail behind these proposed transfers is in the process of being developed and it may be some time before final decisions are made.
“As a result of this there may be a number of redundancies, for example where there is duplication of services.
“However work will be ongoing to minimise these."
