Keep supplier renewal decisions with the right owner

What this means for your practice

Maintain a contract register with a current owner, deputy and verified decision dates. Record the source of each date rather than assuming every contract follows the same renewal rules.

What to ask before you choose

Ask to replace a contract owner without losing upcoming reminders. Use dates from the actual agreement, including notice periods and internal review time. The register should distinguish a reminder to review from a decision to renew. The owner needs to find the source wording before making that decision.

Leave time to make the renewal decision

A reminder on the renewal date may arrive too late to compare options or follow the agreement's notice arrangements. Have the appropriate person check the actual documents and decide when the practice needs to begin its internal review. Keep that review date separate from the supplier's contractual dates so colleagues understand what each reminder means.

The owner should be able to find the current service, cost information, outstanding concerns and the relevant agreement before making a recommendation. A deputy needs access to the same material. Try changing the owner in a sample record and check that future reminders move to the replacement without altering the source dates. Also check what happens when a review is postponed or a decision is still awaiting approval. The register should show the unresolved position rather than treating a dismissed notification as agreement to renew. Use it to support a decision by the authorised people, with contractual interpretation handled through the practice's normal advice arrangements.

How to check the result

Count agreements without a verified review date or current owner.