Working with Industry – I’m an advocate – Maybe

I am an advocate of working with industry.

When I worked in the NHS I did not work with industry.  Frankly I was intimidated.  They had posh cars and smart suits.  In the office, if someone from the NHS went to work for industry they would say they had gone to the “dark side”.  Reps would use words I didn’t understand.  “Hello, I’m part of the Market Access Team and I would like to show you some slides (on my very modern looking tablet) about our value proposition”.  Ummmmmm.  No idea what you just said but I’m pretty sure you are trying to and pull the wool over my eyes.  Plus I’m a manager; I am definitely not allowed to be near a prescription pad so why do you want to talk to me?

I then worked for a pharmaceutical company for 2 years on their diabetes portfolio. 

I loved it.  What a brilliant experience to see the NHS from the outside. I learnt a huge amount.  I learnt how to work with industry.

In fact if you want to work in the pharmaceutical industry you have to take an examination in the Associate of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Code of Practice.  Here’s my certificate. 

I’m proud of it.  It was hard work.  There were 4 components: Code of Practice; Human Body Systems; Development of Use of Medicines and a condition area of the students choosing – guess what mine was!

Yes there are people in industry whose integrity I would question but when a surgeon in the NHS tells me that he wants a long waiting list because then he sees more people in his private clinic - well I guess you get all sorts in any organisation.
The ABPI, in an effort to continue to improve the reputation of the pharmaceutical industry, will also be launching a central portal for the “Public disclosure of transfers of value to healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations” on the 30th of June 2016.

It is also worth noting that the medical technology companies have a different Association of British Healthcare Industries Code of Conduct.  Hence why on a stand with blood glucose monitors, you can grab up some post it notes and pens which you can no longer stock up on from Pharmaceutical company stands.

My favourite example of working with industry was a Cardiac Network I worked with.  The manger would agree the next actions at the Network meeting then meet with a “Network Industry Group” directly after.  The manager would share what the Cardiac Network wanted to achieve; ask industry what they could potentially help with and then walk out and let the group discuss what they might be able to offer.  It was open, it was transparent and it was inclusive not exclusive.  It also saved that manager a lot of time in seeing reps individually (Yes. I know.  Not everyone in industry is a “Rep” (A Sales Representative) but the variety of industry job titles makes it very difficult to make any distinction).

However, working with a collaborative industry group is getting harder.  Increasingly Medical and Educational Grants (MEGs) are being discouraged in preference for a legally binding “Joint Partnership Agreements” to support projects. Getting a “Joint Partnership Agreement” with several companies is a, form filling, nightmare.  Personally, particularly in diabetes, I wouldn’t want an exclusive relationship with one company.  Industry, understandably, are fed up of being seen as a “cash cow”, particularly as budgets get tighter.  They want to be seen as partners that can offer expertise, project manager support, data support, etc.  They want a “win win”. They are also extremely weary of any accusation of bribery.  Therefore the ABPI rules have got much more stringent. Almost to the point of the ridiculous.  I recently was involved in organising a conference at a rather run down, but good value, manor house. However, at the last minute industry were not sure they could provide sponsorship because there was an outdoor pool, and therefore could be considered a spa venue which is not allowable by the ABPI code.  The pool was, frankly, was more like a pond and was used to wash the owner’s dog.  Certainly, I wasn’t going to get my swimming costume out!

A few years back the Department of Health and the ABPI did produce a tool kit to try and get better “Joint working” with industry but the rules of engagement to enable “safely” working with industry are getting more complicated.  After all, I very much doubt many NHS managers have done an exam or any training on how to work with industry?  In fact, I think most of managers would struggle to find their local organisation industry policy?

Actually working with industry is a lot of work hard and I think, while writing this I have changed my mind.  I am an advocate of working with industry they have a lot to offer but the complexity of the rules of engagement on both sides can ultimately lead to confusion, a lot of paperwork and ample opportunity for misunderstandings that can ruin relationships.