NHS agency introduces cloud computing system
NHS agency introduces cloud computing system
A cloud computing system has been introduced at a Birmingham NHS agency, specifically designed to deal with supplier invoices.
Supplied by Tradeshift, the system will be implemented at the Birmingham Primary Care Shared Service Agency (BPCSSA). At the moment the agency provides finance and procurement services to three primary care trusts and one NHS trust in Birmingham.
Its work means that it interacts with over 6,000 suppliers, so the new e-invoicing cloud-based technology is expected to improve significant improvement in terms of efficiency. However, the implementation of the new tool is also expected to deliver cost-savings to the group; an important attribute in the current climate of public sector cutbacks.
Jennie Grant, chief financial officer at BPCSSA, observed that the agency is processing up to 14,000 paper invoices a year, which has been proving to be “a logistical challenge”. But with the new cloud computing system “suppliers can access the status of an invoice throughout its journey and contact us in real time if they have any questions”.
The service is being moved across gradually, with an initial addition of 2,500 suppliers to the cloud network but this will eventually be upped to incorporate the full 6,000.
While the system will help to lower the agency's costs and improve its IT systems' flexibility and performance, there are also a number of benefits in the switch over for suppliers too. Invoices, for example, can be submitted electronically through the secure Tradeshift network and the service will automatically detect any inaccuracies in the invoice, to reduce the number of errors.
Furthermore, the network also provides a tracking service to give suppliers the chance to view where their invoice is in the system and work out when they are due payment.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud, should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
