Chris Dean, founder and chief procurement officer of Procurement For Care, explains why, when care homes look to reduce costs, cutting corners on items such as cleaning products and laundry supplies could be a false economy
In social care, the pressure to do more with less has become the norm. Providers are expected to maintain high standards, meet complex regulations, and support stretched teams, all while managing tighter budgets year on year. As a procurement professional with over 20 years' experience across hospitality and care, I have learned this simple truth: cutting cost is not the same as controlling cost.
In fact, some of the best savings we have helped providers realise have come from spending more. Not everywhere. Not blindly. But in the right places, with the right rationale. Because when you look at the full picture — not just the invoice line — you start to see where true value lives.
It is easy to chase low prices. A cheaper dishwasher tablet. A value pack of gloves. A budget cleaning spray. But too often, the money saved upfront is lost further down the line — through waste, rework, damaged equipment, or frustrated staff.
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