ABSTRACT
This chapter provides framework for negotiation which provides guidelines for hospital clinicians required to negotiate health care contracts. In the examples used to illustrate the various points made, it is assumed that the clinicians are negotiating with representatives of a large GP fundholder group. The framework provided is divided into a preparation stage (steps 1-3), and a negotiation stage (steps 4 and 5). Although it has been written for clinicians it is equally relevant for other groups, both inside and outside of the NHS, and can be applied to a wide range of commercial negotiations. It is important to arrive at the negotiating table with clear objectives on the issues to be discussed. The successful negotiator is the individual who arrives at the negotiating table with sizeable demands, a sense of self-confidence, strongly committed to his opinions, willing to support those opinions with careful analysis, and prepared to grant relatively small concessions.
