Collective Purchasing To Benefit Communities

21 District Health Boards

Media Release
26 May 2009

Collective Purchasing To Benefit Communities

The country’s 21 District Health Boards have combined their purchases to provide better oral health services for communities and to avoid duplication of efforts and resources.

The first mobile dental surgery has been delivered to Canterbury District Health Board as part of a collective procurement programme by the 21 DHBs that will see 94 mobile units, as well as fixed units, built in the next three years.

Lead CEO for the collective procurement project, Phil Cammish, says the mobile units will range in size from small one-chair self-drive assessment units to large two-surgery towable units, and will provide DHBs with up-to-date community oral health facilities tailored to their needs.

The 21 DHBs have also negotiated contracts with five suppliers of dental equipment to provide high quality equipment at excellent prices.

“This is about improving the health care people get,” says Phil Cammish.

“Resources are always scarce so it’s important to use them well. We’re very pleased to have been able to combine our buying to get a good deal on these mobile units.

“Dental therapists will be able to move from location to location knowing the equipment they’re using is the same wherever they work. That type of standardisation ultimately means greater safety for people receiving dental treatment.”

Mr Cammish says DHBs will buy mobile dental units from a set of configurations produced by Hamilton manufacturer Ci Munro.

The mobile unit delivered to Canterbury DHB is the first of 18 that will eventually operate in the region. Sixteen of the 18 mobile clinics will visit schools in the area from Ashburton to Rangiora, complementing the service available from multi-chair community clinics.

“This is an excellent example of how these mobile dental units will be used around the country,” says Mr Cammish.

ENDS

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