The claims are based on new figures released by Ernst & Young and Peto, the product comparison website for the NHS, which conducted an independent analysis of spending figures across 10 NHS trusts.
They found that some trusts were paying over twice (164%) the average price for essential items like warming blankets.
Joe Stringer, a partner at Ernst & Young, said, “Our analysis raises serious concerns about price variation and spending in the procurement of NHS supplies. At the root of this problem lies the lack of transparency in the market, leaving trusts unable to make cost-efficient decisions about purchasing supplies.
“There is a widespread misconception that price disparity is the inevitable consequence of policy decisions to encourage competition between NHS providers. With the NHS facing sustained pressure to contain rising costs and demand within a flat budget, transparency must be introduced across the board. The consequences of inaction in the back office will only be felt more acutely in frontline care.”
The two companies suggested that if procurement practices remain as they are and data is not shared across these NHS trusts, price variations could end up costing the tax payer a further £1bn over the next two years.
The statistics come two years after a National Audit Office (NAO) and the Foundation Trust Network found that different NHS Trusts were paying varying prices for the same equipment.
