Ambulance

Our Ambulance category has seen developments over the course of 2020 and three key areas of work are being undertaken:

Minor Medical Equipment, Consumables and Associated Parts
The standstill period ended 10 December. Awards to the framework agreement will be made to 30 suppliers ranging from SME’s to global manufacturers and distributors. The new framework starts 1 January 2021 and will be available primarily to UK Ambulance Trusts but open to other NHS and emergency services organisations.

Medical Gases –  Open
A tender for a replacement framework agreement launched on 9 December with a closing date of 8 January 2021. This framework agreement is set to commence in February 2021.

Vehicle Conversions
As part of the NHS Commercial Alliance joint working with NHS England / NHS Improvement, a Specialist Ambulance Conversion framework tender was launched on 4 December, which includes 5 Lots covering Emergency, A&E Ambulances, Patient Transport, Mental Health and Rapid Response Vehicles.  The framework will be the route to market for a National Further competition for Van Based A&E Emergency Ambulances to be launched in Q4 2020/21.The framework is open to all UK Ambulance Trusts.

To find out more about the work we are involved with both locally and nationally, please get in touch: james.richards@eoecph.nhs.uk

Business Services

It's been a busy year for Business Services supporting the day-to-day operation of our customers and members. We have continued to deliver a full suite of support services frameworks to assist organisations with their business as usual activities, as well as transformational aims on service development and integrated working.

Into 2021 we are in the final phases of two key pieces of work that are being delivered to support our customers and members. In January a tender goes live for Non-Emergency Patient Transport. In addition to this, our Dermotology framework is expected to go live in February.

As always, please get in touch if you'd like to know more: business.services@eoecph.nhs.uk

Workforce

It’s been a tumultuous year for all. The year has seen us further solidify the Workforce Alliance as the market leading framework operator for workforce issues and, most importantly, that has required us to support many trusts with unprecedent issues around their staffing requirements as a result of the Covid pandemic.

More than ever the Hub’s workforce team is equipped and available to support the NHS in all aspects, however unusual, from banks to off framework and international recruitment to agency staffing. We are using existing, and developing, forums with Department for Health and Social Care and the regulators to design and inform policy and we are equally using our relationships with key suppliers to understand challenges and solutions up and down the supply chain.

2021 will inevitably present further issues, winter pressures juxtaposed with a pandemic will present challenges; but please do rely on the Hub’s workforce team to support your recruitment priorities, to assist you in managing both supplier and candidate expectations and supporting in questioning historic reliance or routes to market. Our objectives are unchanged from when the team was set up nearly 5 years ago in that we want to assist our trusts in source exceptional quality, safe and best-value resource solutions.

We wish you all a safe and Happy Christmas and brighter New Year.

As ever please don’t hesitate to contact the team on workforce@eoecph.nhs.uk

Integrated Care

In mid-December a further update was issued on the progress of the Procurement Target Operating Model (PTOM) to all Heads of Procurement. It included commentary on the next steps of development for ICSs and indicates that all NHS Trusts will be part of an ICS by 1 April 2021, we discussed this at the Heads of Procurement meeting and would be pleased to arrange a video call (for each ICS) in early January to take the discussion forward. Read more.

The team have worked across the region supporting your needs in a year that has bought ever changing priorities. From the continued work looking at options in both Stoma and Community Equipment Services to the individual support with theatre packs and footwear.

Integration between health and social care is evolving fast, and the team continues to support at all levels within the systems as these develop. We have seen demand on time and resources dramatically shift, however we remain committed to working with you as your services adapt, your systems mature.

National Wound Care Strategy Programme
The National Wound Care Strategy Programme is looking to recruit two Clinical Workstream Leads, one for the Lower Limb Workstream and one for the Surgical Wound workstream,  to join the programme team. Both posts will be 0.6 WTE for a fixed term of 12 months. Details can be found on the NWCSP website. The closing date is 6 January 2021. Visit the website.

To learn more about the work we're doing in integrated care, please contact us: integratedcare@eoecph.nhs.uk

Pharmacy

2020 has been an opportunity to demonstrate the strength and unity of the pharmacy community in the East of England and we are proud of the achievements of members and the pharmacy team here at the hub. We’ve not been able to meet, yet the way we’ve all embraced technology has enabled relationships to continue to prosper.  

You’ll have seen the team change over the year with Richard joining us back in February, later Jocelyn in October and, in between, Stephanie and Ruth were recruited to support regional procurement and supply cell where they continue to do great and vital work. 

The team has played key roles in the local, regional and national response to the pressures across a number of market areas including PPE, ICU consumables, renal fluids, cylinder gases, liquid oxygen, pharmacy wholesale and homecare medicines services. In addition, our normal function has continued as ever with six framework extensions (Pharmaceutical Wholesalers, Parenteral Nutrition, Homecare Medicines Services, Cleanroom Consumables and Laundry, Contrast Media, Medical Liquid Oxygen) and two new agreements (Homecare Immunoglobulin and Pharmacy Automation DPS). 

As we move into 2021 we will continue to support members with immediate needs as well as promote transition toward the objectives set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. 

To find out more about our pharmacy work please contact: pharmacy@eoecph.nhs.uk