Special Agreement Reached on Dual Membership · Membership Gains Access to Personal Benefits · Purchasing Professional · Access to Website · Government Papers · Contact

Charles Holden, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS), describes how the close working relationship between CIPS and HSA will benefit all those working in healthcare purchasing and supply.

The past year has seen significant progress in the development of a closer relationship between the Healthcare Supplies Association and CIPS. The two organisations plan to work closely together on joint training and recruitment initiatives.

Special Agreement Reached on Dual Membership   [top]

HSA members who are not currently members of CIPS are able to take advantage of an offer to apply for a special grade of membership of the Institute. As a result of agreement between the two organisations, dual membership of HSA and CIPS is offered for the cost of the CIPS subscription alone.

Available only to members of groups affiliated to CIPS, the affiliate (special interest group) grade entitles members to a limited range of services, including Supply Management, the fortnightly magazine of CIPS, as an introduction to the Institute. Thereafter, members can apply to transfer to one of the established grades, provided they meet entry requirements.

Membership Gains Access to Personal Benefits   [top]

In addition to international recognition of a practitioner's professional status, CIPS membership gives access to valuable personal benefits. CIPS members now qualify for specially discounted rates on services, including: vehicle breakdown service, private healthcare, a career management service, hotel group benefits, preferential rate credit card and London base for meetings club membership scheme.

Developed for the Purchasing Professional   [top]

The broad range of products and services that have practical relevance to employment has proved popular with CIPS members. All CIPS services are developed with the purchasing professional in mind and are driven by the objective of producing tools and services to help them in their everyday work.

Since it relaunch, the CIPS website (www.cips.org) has been the focus of a particularly dramatic surge in activity since its introduction in March 1999. The website reporting system identifies interesting statistics that allow the Institute to identify that every visitor looks at an average of six pages and spends more than nine minutes on the website.

Visitor can now check event and branch diary dates, source information about how to join CIPS, membership benefits, education, training, professional practice, the CIPS bookshop and recruitment services. Links to other purchasing organisations are also listed.

Member Access to Website   [top]

Members have access through the website to core terms and conditions of contract that can be used to form the basis for any agreements that they need to draw up. Other useful products include the topic reference files that focus on specific areas (e.g. activity-based costing) and pull together sources of reference and background information. The range of "How to..." books, published by CIPS and available from the bookshop, explains how to buy specific good or services, e.g. catering, and are particularly popular when, for the first time, members have to source a particular commodity with which they are unfamiliar.

Members can use their membership number to access the "members only" part of the site, where the Groups, Member and Student Forums are located. The first CIPS-affiliated business group to have a presence is the Financial Services Purchasing Forum (www.cips.org/groups/fspf/default.asp), membership of which is open to senior purchasing personnel in all financial services organisations. The CIPS Healthcare Committee has been involved in a similar development for HSA and on the CIPS website.

Input into Government Papers   [top]

It is important that members can be seen to belong to an institute that has a role to play and a respected voice at the highest levels. The Institute is being asked increasingly for input into government papers, business legislation and EU regulations. On behalf of members, the Institute gives opinions that can help to shape the future of business practices and legislation, especially in the UK and EU.

HSA Membership Enquiries:

HSA membership enquiries and changes to contact details should be directed to Membership Development at Easton House (contact details below):

Charles Holden   [top]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply
Easton House
Easton on the Hill
Stamford
Lincolnshire
PE9 3NZ
Tel: 01780 756777
Fax: 01780 751610

Email: info@cips.org
Website: www.cips.org

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