The UK has the capability, infrastructure and expertise to build a more sustainable, resilient and UK-focused PPE supply chain. What is missing is a clear roadmap that enables SMEs to access NHS procurement frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) at a fair and viable price.
That was one of the key messages from an important meeting organised by Holly Morris and hosted by Synergy LMS, part of K-Bro Linen Systems, in Derby.
An eclectic mix of industry experts gathered around the boardroom table to discuss and review the viability of public procurement contracts for PPE — and the conclusion was clear: the infrastructure is already there.
We Have Done It Before
During the COVID-19 crisis, garment manufacturers across the UK demonstrated exactly what can be achieved when the industry comes together with a common purpose.
Manufacturers united to produce tens of thousands of garments every week, helping to keep NHS England supplied with British-made scrubs and gowns when global supply chains were under extraordinary pressure.
The issue, therefore, is not whether the UK can manufacture PPE.
The manufacturers are here. The skills are here. The cleaning infrastructure is here. The appetite is here.
What is needed is a procurement system that recognises and rewards the wider value generated by this domestic capability.
Reusable PPE Is Already Available
There are already new opportunities emerging across the PPE sector.
Reusable gowns are available.
Recycled gowns are available.
There is even an opportunity to repurpose dead-stock PPE into linen hampers, creating another potential route for materials that might otherwise become waste.
The circular economy potential is significant — but only if procurement policies create the conditions for businesses to invest, manufacture, collect, repair, launder, reuse and ultimately recycle these products.
The Laundry Infrastructure Is Ready
One of the most impressive elements of the Derby