Team of Lincolnshire hospital workers recognised at national level

The materials management team at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT)​ was runner-up in the Procurement/Supply Chain Team of the Year category at the Health Care Supply Association Awards.

The team of 33 work out of Boston, Grantham and Lincoln hospitals and make sure staff have all the ‘clinical consumables’ they need, items such as gloves, aprons, bed pans, dressings, syringes, masks, and any kind of single-use item that would be stocked on a ward.

The Procurement/Supply Chain Team of the Year award recognises an individual or team who has introduced into their organisation an innovation or a change in practice or product that results in significantly improved patient outcomes, clinical engagement and supplier relationships.

There were six organisations from across the country shortlisted for the honour.

Part of the ULHT team’s nomination highlighted the success of a pilot scheme that has standardised the approach for ordering supplies in wards and departments across the trust. This has already resulted in efficiencies of almost £1.7m with further savings predicted. It has also resulted in 241 hours of clinical time being returned every week to wards and departments, the equivalent of 6.4 full-time staff members.

The trust’s stores and logistics manager, Adam Lewis, said: “I know how hard the team work so that staff across our hospitals always have everything they need to be able to care for and operate on our patients. They always work behind the scenes and this award is brilliant as it gives us the opportunity to showcase all of their hard work and dedication.”

The annual awards were announced at a gala dinner in Manchester with more than 500 assembled guests as the awards were handed out.

The event is organised by the Health Care Supply Association, a registered charity which strives to promote the work of procurement and supply chain staff at all levels in healthcare.