NHS Trusts start to shut doors on external supplier representatives
Medical Industry Ltd has provided an updated document detailing which hospitals are restricting access for companies and external suppliers during the coronavirus epidemic. Discover which hospitals are limiting access and what measures are now in place.
The MIA (Medical Industry Accredited) appointment and credentialing system provided by Medical Industry Ltd powers the LSI National Credentialing Register, used by hospitals to confirm the identity, credentials and training status of individuals who visit their sites.
Following the outbreak and spread of coronavirus, numerous trusts are now limiting access to representatives from external suppliers and providers, putting into place new measures that company representatives must follow.
The new measures will impact a number of companies involved in the supply, service and maintenance of equipment to hospitals, including beds, hoists, slings, wheelchairs, crutches and more.
According to the latest document, the following NHS Trusts have issued outlining the restrictions now in place:
University Hospitals Birmingham
Announced on the 9th March: No external company representatives are to attend UHB sites unless the training/medical equipment they are bringing with them are essential for the treatment of a patient.
Service engineers can attend site for emergency work and planned servicing. If any other work i.e. audits are to be carried out then this is not allowed.
For any trust specific enquiries contact: amanda.hill@uhb.nhs.uk
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Announced on the 10th March: Only reps attending to offer clinical, on the day support, will be allowed within the Department for the foreseeable future.
The trust has requested that these clinical support slots are booked 5 days in advance on MIA to allow the trust to monitor attendees.
For any trust specific enquiries contact: william.overfield@nhs.net
St. Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Announced on the 10th March: No external company representatives are to attend sites unless the training/medical equipment they are bringing with them are essential for the treatment of a patient.
For any trust specific enquiries contact: rob.williams@sthk.nhs.uk
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Announced on the 11th March: All visits from company representatives are suspended for the foreseeable future unless they are supporting a clinical procedure in Theatres or providing servicing/technical support to products used within the Trust.
This ban extends also to any meetings with members of the Procurement team at UCLH, at Maples House or in any other location.
For any trust specific enquiries contact: phil.adams-howell@nhs.net
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Announced on the 11th March: Only company representatives/clinical advisors/technicians/service engineers who are required for essential clinical or product/equipment support in the treatment of patients, will be allowed access to GOSH sites.
As this is a rapidly changing situation, please ensure to check with the Trust before attending. Please book any site visit a minimum of 5 days in advance.
For any trust specific enquiries contact: Catherine.Gee@gosh.nhs.uk
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Announced on the 11th March: As part of the Trust’s response to COVID-19 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is restricting access to Supplier Representatives with the exception of product support only. This is to support in minimising potential exposure to staff and patients from individuals who visit multiple clinical environments.
All product support visits will be by clinical invitation and appointment only, with the already established MIA check-in process to be followed. In practical terms, this means supplier representatives should not visit the Trust unless requested to support clinically.
Any representative on site for business purposes that do not meet the above criteria will be removed from site resulting in a suspension from future attendance to Trust premises.
For any trust specific enquiries please contact procurement: 01622 225329
Medway NHS Foundation Trust
Announced on the 12th March: All supplier visits except for product support are now prohibited by the trust. We will update cardholders as soon as this is lifted.
For any trust specific enquiries please contact procurement: Dan.small@nhs.net
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Announced on the 12th March: Cambridge University Hospitals has taken the decision that all visits, non-essential events and meetings should be cancelled due to the additional operational pressures being experienced.
This means that we would not expect to see you on site AT ALL from Friday 13th March 2020 until told otherwise, unless clinically urgent. If deemed clinically urgent, approval must be sought prior to your visit, without exception.
We would like to thank you for your support and cooperation at this challenging time
For any trust specific enquiries please contact procurement: 01223 274536
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Announced on the 13th March: All non-essential Supplier Representative visits to the Trust are suspended from Friday 13th March. Company representatives, clinical advisors, or technicians are permitted to attend the Trust only if the training/medical equipment they are bringing with them is essential for the treatment of a patient. These clinical and technical support slots must be booked 5 days in advance on MIA to allow the Trust to monitor attendees.
For any trust specific enquiries please contact procurement: lnwhtr.companyreps@nhs.net
The James Paget NHS Foundation Trust
Announced on the 12th March: Having considered the current low infection status of COVID-19 in this region against the expected spread predicted by NHSE over the coming months, the James Paget University Hospital would like to enforce a policy that all non-essential visits by representatives be curtailed with immediate effect.
This preventative measure does not apply to those representatives that provide critical support to surgical procedures or clinics and those reps are to ensure that they apply common sense if they have been abroad and carry any symptoms associated with cold/flu like symptoms. Nor does this measure apply to those service engineers or representatives delivering key equipment or repairs to existing or planned equipment. Should the Surgical Division decide to cancel elective patients to further reduce risk to the general population then this extended policy will be updated again.
Representatives are to ensure that they follow the JPUH Trust Representatives Policy due to the potential risks. We ask that all suppliers make full use of technology and maintain contact with the Procurement and Supplies department to ensure that no unnecessary shortages of consumables or services are felt by the population we support.
For any trust specific enquiries, please contact Procurement@jpaget.nhs.uk FAO John Williams
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Announced on the 13th March: All non-essential Supplier Representative visits to the Trust are suspended from Friday 13th March. Company representatives, clinical advisors, or technicians are permitted to attend the Trust only if the training/medical equipment they are bringing with them is essential for the treatment of a patient. These clinical and technical support slots must be booked 5 days in advance on MIA to allow the Trust to monitor attendees.
For any trust specific enquiries please contact Procurement: imperial.purchasing@nhs.net
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Announced on the 13th March: All none ‘business critical’ supplier visits to both The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust have been suspended with immediate effect until further notice.
This is primarily to prevent non-essential visits to the sites and therefore limit on-going physical contact particularly from supplier employees who often visit a number of Hospital locations in a short period of time, but also to free up critical resources within Trusts that will be required to support the outbreak. For the avoidance of doubt, this suspension excludes all supplier employees that are involved with delivering critical goods and services to the hospital sites.
For any trust specific enquiries please contact procurement: nathan.joyjohnson@uhnm.nhs.uk
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
Announced on the 16th March: As part of our response to COVID-19 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is restricting access to Supplier Representatives with the exception of product support only. All non-essential Supplier Representative visits to our hospitals are suspended from Friday 13th March. This is to support in minimising potential exposure to staff and patients from individuals who visit multiple clinical environments.
All product support visits will be by clinical invitation and appointment only, with the already established MIA check-in process to be followed. In practical terms, this means supplier representatives should not visit our hospitals unless requested to support clinically.
We ask that all suppliers to make full use of technology and maintain contact with the Procurement department to ensure that no unnecessary shortages of consumables or services are felt by the population we support.
For any trust specific enquiries please contact Procurement: rcht.cornwallprocurement@nhs.net
NHS Grampian
Announced on the 13th March: It has been agreed within the management team all Supplier Reps requesting to visit the department will be restricted to case support and equipment repairs only. Meaning all Reps who are requesting to visit for audits, new & existing products discussions will have to be postponed until further notice.
For any trust specific enquiries please contact procurement.alasdair.gilchrist@nhs.net
Medical Industry Ltd states it will continue to keep companies informed via email and advises professionals to contact miahelp@medicalindustry.co.uk or call 01732 920 900 to be added to the circulation list or to check the updated list regularly
