Error reduction on the agenda at annual National Highways event

GIRI executive director Cliff Smith joined National Highways head of quality for design & standards Rob Andrewes and Galliford Try head of assurance Lynden Haworth to talk about error reduction and how it is being embedded in National Highways' new quality charter.

The 2023 Meet the Buyer virtual event included a full day programme of speakers on a range of subjects, with a keynote address by Andrew Stephenson, Director of Procurement at National Highways, who talked about the Regional Delivery Partnership achievements to date against the original framework objectives, and the forthcoming Integrated Delivery Framework. 

Subsequent workshops included a session on quality and getting it right first time, with presentations by Rob, Cliff and Lynden. Rob explained the journey that National Highways has been on in terms of raising the importance and profile of quality in its business, since an indepenent review of the maturity of quality management within National Highways found that there was 'plenty of room for improvement'.

Measures such as making quality an executive-level priority, setting up a SHEQ committee and a supplier forum, and setting out the organisation's vision in a quality charter had been put in place, along with a quality e-learning stream on the Supply Chain Sustainability School. 

Five short-term priority actions had also been identified and commitments made including establishing a reporting system for significant quality incidents; ending pavement laying in the winter months, and establishing performance matrics for quality. 

The quality workshop recording can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfCu6FqtiB8

Rob Andrewes' slides can be downloaded here https://www.supplychainschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Rob-Andrewes-MTB-2023.pdf

Find the full programme with links to recordings and slides here https://www.supplychainschool.co.uk/partners/national-highways/rdp-meet-the-buyers-17-august-2023/