3.27 Many contractors told us that their reputation within the NHS is a major driver of their performance. Our analysis of Trusts' ratings of performance did not however, reveal any companies with consistently better or worse performance than their competitors.
3.28 A poor reputation should limit companies' ability to bid successfully for new contracts or those being market tested. But the NHS must have an accurate picture of how suppliers are performing for reputation to work as a driver of performance.
3.29 The Department has set up networks of hospitals with the same supplier to informally spread reputations and share solutions to common issues. Some Trusts, however, have little knowledge of how their contractors perform elsewhere.