Strength over savings

In the public sector, lack of life-saving personal protective equipment challenged the NHS and social care providers as supplies from Chinese manufacturers dried up. A number of public sector bodies have signed up to the UK government's Prompt Payment Code, which encourages fairer payment practices from business and has had some successes. MALCOLM HARRISON is group chief executive at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply and former chief executive of the UK government's Crown Commercial Service "" Early on in my career, I learnt an important lesson - the most expensive purchase is the one that doesn't turn up