Benefits

Procurement by health service organisations has the potential to stimulate the development of capable local businesses, strengthening their competitiveness in wider markets and so supporting a positive drive to achieve the goals of the Lisbon Agenda (growth, competition, employment).

Specifically, increasing local procurement has proven benefits to local economies and regional development. These include:

• increasing local employment
• increasing the skills base in local labour markets
• increasing wealth in the region
• promoting business growth (SMEs) competitive in wider markets
• contributing to health improvement
• enhancing community well being and social cohesion
• protecting the environment by decreasing transport miles.