HealthTrust Europe (HTE) and Hertfordshire and West Essex NHS Procurement have been shortlisted in the Clinical Procurement in Partnership category at the HCSA Awards for their collaborative work to transform procedure packs across three NHS Trusts.
The shortlisted submission, “One Solution, Three Trusts: Transforming Procedure Packs Through Clinical Collaboration”, recognises a partnership involving West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust and The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, supported by specialists from HealthTrust Europe.
Collaboration at the heart of the project
The project was established to review, rationalise and standardise procedure packs across the three organisations, which were operating with different specifications and supplier arrangements. Rather than taking a traditional procurement-led approach, clinical, procurement and operational colleagues worked together to develop a shared solution that balanced commercial and clinical requirements.
The collaboration engaged 24 Theatre Leads and clinical staff across eight specialties. Clinicians reviewed packs component by component to determine essential requirements and identify where specifications could safely be combined.
A competitive process was undertaken through HealthTrust Europe’s Procedure Packs Framework. All 12 suppliers on the framework were able to bid, eight submissions were received and the two highest-ranked suppliers progressed to clinical assessment, with sample ranges evaluated at each Trust.
Delivering measurable results
The collaborative approach delivered significant benefits. Annual expenditure reduced from £728,649.55 to £557,632.41, representing approximately £171,000 in annual cash-releasing savings, while the supply model moved from two main suppliers to one.
Importantly, the project placed clinical engagement alongside value throughout the process, with theatre staff directly involved in evaluating areas including packaging, ease of opening, component quality and bespoke pack contents.
The case study describes the collaboration as strengthening clinical engagement, reducing duplication and enabling the sharing of best practice, while collaborative purchasing improved value for money and supply resilience.
Recognising the partnership
HTE is proud to have worked alongside Hertfordshire and West Essex NHS Procurement and its member Trusts on a project that demonstrates what can be achieved when clinical expertise and procurement are brought together around a shared objective.
