Thanks to a collaborative Hub project looking at the costs and calibre of wound care consumables, Norfolk & Waveney ICB has not only been able to identify potential savings of more than £0.5m per year but has determined which products are best quality for patients and best value for the ICB.

Our Senior Clinical Products & Services Specialist, Jill Kettle, is a regular attendee of Norfolk and Waveney ICB Medicines Optimisation meetings which include discussions about wound care and formulary products, to ensure they are the best quality available for patients whilst providing excellent value for money to the ICB.

Jill facilitated meetings between NHS Supply Chain (NHSSC) colleagues and the ICB’s Medicines Optimisation Team, with the aim of investigating any potential savings through sign up to the NHSSC National Pricing Matrices (NPMs) for Advanced Wound Care products.  This includes pricing for disposable items like foam dressings, silicone contact layers and gelling fibres.

The Medicines Optimisation Team then worked with Tissue Viability Nurses to agree which products were most suitable and a consensus was reached.

Initial analysis completed by NHSSC shows potential savings of:

• Foam dressings                 £245,000 per annum
• Silicone Contact Layers     £209,059 per annum
• Gelling Fibres                    £100,375 per annum

So far, the outcome is Norfolk and Waveney ICB has signed an NPM contract for foam dressings, drafted by NHSSC.  The on-line ordering system is due to go live next month (September).

The Hub’s work continues supporting the ICB as they pursue NPMs for silicone contact layers and gelling fibre dressings.

If your NHS trust or ICB would like to explore how the Hub can help in a similar way, please contact us at pharmacy@eoecph.nhs.uk.