NHS Supply Chain has launched a new PPE Portal for organisations in England to order personal protective equipment.
An announcement from the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said a migration to the new online platform has begun with all customers to be redirected to it from 4 April.
Eligible users have been emailed about their transfer to the new platform and communication will continue over the coming weeks.
The PPE Portal will serve a range of health, care and public sector providers including GPs, adult social care, dentists, orthodontists, community pharmacies, optometrists, children’s social care providers, drug and alcohol services, other government departments, local authorities and independent sector providers who carry out NHS work.
DHSC said the new system builds on user feedback to improve the experience of those using the site.
Improvements
It said the new portal is more user-friendly than its predecessor, making it easier to place orders, view order limits and track deliveries. It also provides the capability for responding to and mitigating against evolving situations and potential future health crises.
A soft launch has already taken place, during which the department carried out a survey with 446 responses. It showed 96% were either “very satisfied” (76%) or “satisfied” (20%) with the new portal, and 97% stated they were either “very confident” (85%) or “confident” (12%) when using it.
Last month, it was announced that following a public consultation, NHS trusts, primary care and adult social care providers will continue to receive Covid-19 PPE free of charge until 31 March 2023 or until infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance is withdrawn or significantly amended.
NHS Supply Chain manages the sourcing and delivery of healthcare and food products to NHS organisations in England and Wales.
