VARs facing NHS payment lottery

Some trusts are "oblivious" to government guidance on prompt payment, according to FPB

40 trusts were found to comply with payment guidelines in less than 10 per cent of cases

Resellers are facing a lottery when it comes to payment times among NHS trusts, new research has indicated.

In late 2008, the government urged all public bodies to stump up for bills within 10 days to help SMEs weather the recession.

Although some NHS trusts are fulfilling that pledge in 90 per cent of cases, at least 40 are complying on less than 10 per cent of deals, according to the Forum of Private Business (FPB). Across the board, only 31 per cent of bills are being paid within 10 days, compared with 44 per cent in the local government sector.

The FPB obtained figures on 193 trusts in England and Scotland using the Freedom of Information Act.

The five worst-performing trusts – three of which are in London and the South East - paid less than one per cent of their bills within 10 days.

The FPB named Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Lancashire as the best performer. The trust settled 94 per cent of invoices within 10 days.

FPB spokesman Phil McCabe said the figures show an “astonishing lack of uniformity” among trusts.

“Some trusts are obviously well aware how important getting paid quickly is to their suppliers,” he said.

“But others seem worryingly oblivious to the government’s guidance on this issue and don’t appear to be making any attempt to increase prompt payment at all.”

The FPB’s research found that the average NHS bill in England took 26 days to be paid, compared with 18 days for local authority invoices.