DHSC appoints business leaders to manage strategic suppliers

The four Health Crown Representatives will support the implementation of a new National Strategic Supplier Relationship Management (SSRM) programme, with 15 strategic suppliers.

The National SSRM programme is a joint undertaking between DHSC, NHS England and the Cabinet Office and aims to use the NHS’s significant scale and influence to strengthen partnerships with the most strategic suppliers to deliver additional value and unlock opportunities.

This programme represents a shift in the collaboration with suppliers across health organisations and supports the government’s mission objectives in healthcare and economic growth.

Health Minister Karin Smyth said: “Our healthcare system cannot function without its suppliers. They play a critical role in driving innovation, ensuring better value for taxpayers and putting more money in people’s pockets through long-term growth. The new Health Crown Representatives bring a wealth of experience from the private sector to the table, and they will help us work with our strategic suppliers in the best way. As we bring forward our 10 Year Health Plan, aligning the government’s objectives with our suppliers’ capabilities and innovations will be crucial to deliver the NHS fit for the future that we all want to see.”

Building on the success of Crown Representatives across government, four part-time dedicated Health Crown Representatives have been recruited to work directly with the health strategic suppliers. Crown Representatives act as a conduit between government and the most strategic suppliers, supporting with challenges, opportunities and risks.

The new Health Crown Representatives are:

Deb Steane. Deb is an accomplished executive with 27 years of leadership experience in the MedTech sector at Johnson & Johnson, where she held a range of executive, statutory director, and board-level roles. Before her corporate career, Deb spent 10 years in the NHS as a medical microbiologist, working as part of the pathology team at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Keith Nurcombe. Keith has had a 30-year executive career in healthcare. He has played a key role in supporting and delivering NHS services, including founding Doctorlink in 2016 to enhance primary care. Specialising in digital transformation, Keith has led initiatives such as the roll-out of shared care record systems and, more recently, electronic patient record (EPR) programs within the NHS.

Oliver Cofler. With an engineering background, Oliver began his career in manufacturing before moving into consultancy with PwC, where he worked across manufacturing, IT and supply chain. He later held senior operational leadership positions at Alliance Healthcare and Millbrook Healthcare and has served in non-executive roles. Oliver is currently a non-executive director at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust.

Paul Richards. Paul has built a successful career in international healthcare, bringing extensive experience in global board leadership, strategic partnerships, and commercial initiatives with both suppliers and customers. He serves as a non-executive director and senior independent director at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, providing strategic guidance to improve outcomes. He also chairs the One Devon NHS EPR Implementation Board, leading collaboration across 3 NHS trusts to advance digital transformation.

Following a comprehensive process to identify the most strategic suppliers to health, the NHS, DHSC and the wider health family will work collaboratively with the 15 strategic suppliers to develop joint strategies that will deliver additional value, unlock opportunities and manage risks. They are:

• Abbott
• AstraZeneca
• Circle Health Group
• GSK
• ISS
• Johnson & Johnson
• Olympus Keymed
• Optum (formerly EMIS)
• Medtronic
• Pfizer
• Roche
• Sandoz
• Sodexo
• Spire Healthcare
• Teva.

Click here to find more information about Crown Representatives and the strategic suppliers they work with.