Ensuring the quality and quantity of personal protective equipment (PPE) by enhancing the procurement process in Northern Ireland during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Challenges in the procurement process for PPE in NI

2021 ◽  
pp. 251604352110573
Author(s):  
Kathryn Burnett ◽  
Suzanne Martin ◽  
Catherine Goudy ◽  
John Barron ◽  
Linda O’Hare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Business Services ◽  
Procurement Process ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Logistics Service ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Medicines Optimisation

This article outlines the purchasing process for personal protective equipment that was established for Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland in response to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019. The Business Services Organisation Procurement and Logistics Service, who are the sole provider of goods and services for Health and Social Care organisations, was faced with an unprecedented demand for personal protective equipment in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The usual procurement process was further complicated by changing messages within guidelines which resulted in confusion and anxiety when determining whether or not a product would meet the required safety guidance and was therefore suitable for purchase. In order to address these issues in a rapidly changing and escalating scenario the Department of Health asked the Business Services Organisation Procurement and Logistics Service to work with the Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre to maximise the availability of personal protective equipment whilst ensuring that it met all requisite quality and standards. A process was implemented whereby the Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre validated all pertinent essential documentation relating to products to ensure that all applicable standards were met, with the Business Services Organisation Procurement and Logistics Service completing all procurement due diligence tasks in line with both normal and coronavirus disease 2019 emergency derogations. It is evident from the data presented that whilst there were a significant number of potential options for supply, a large proportion of these were rejected due to failure to meet the quality assurance criteria. Thus, by the process that was put in place, a large number of unsuitable products were not purchased and only those that met extant standards were approved.

scholarly journals Environmental impact of personal protective equipment distributed for use by health and social care services in England in the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 014107682110015
Author(s):  
Chantelle Rizan ◽  
Malcolm Reed ◽  
Mahmood F Bhutta
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Scenario Modelling ◽  
Base Scenario

Objective To quantify the environmental impact of personal protective equipment (PPE) distributed for use by the health and social care system to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in England, and model strategies for mitigating the environmental impact. Design Life cycle assessment was used to determine environmental impacts of PPE distributed to health and social care in England during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The base scenario assumed all products were single-use and disposed of via clinical waste. Scenario modelling was used to determine the effect of environmental mitigation strategies: (1) eliminating international travel during supply; (2) eliminating glove use; (3) reusing gowns and face shields; and (4) maximal recycling. Setting Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, UK. Main outcome measures The carbon footprint of PPE distributed during the study period totalled 106,478 tonnes CO2e, with greatest contributions from gloves, aprons, face shields and Type IIR surgical masks. The estimated damage to human health was 239 DALYs (disability-adjusted life years), impact on ecosystems was 0.47 species.year (loss of local species per year), and impact on resource depletion was costed at US $12.7m (GBP £9.3m). Scenario modelling indicated UK manufacture would have reduced the carbon footprint by 12%, eliminating gloves by 45%, reusing gowns and gloves by 10% and maximal recycling by 35%. Results A combination of strategies may have reduced the carbon footprint by 75% compared with the base scenario, and saved an estimated 183 DALYS, 0.34 species.year and US $7.4m (GBP £5.4m) due to resource depletion. Conclusion The environmental impact of PPE is large and could be reduced through domestic manufacture, rationalising glove use, using reusables where possible and optimising waste management.

scholarly journals Environmental impact of Personal Protective Equipment supplied to health and social care services in England in the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantelle Rizan ◽  
Malcolm Reed ◽  
Mahmood F Bhutta
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Scenario Modelling ◽  
Base Scenario

ABSTRACTObjectivesUse of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been central to controlling spread of SARS-CoV2. Here we quantify the environmental impact of PPE supplied to the health and social care system in England, and model strategies for its mitigation.MethodsLife cycle assessment was used to determine environmental impacts of PPE supplied to health and social care in England during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The base scenario assumed all products were single-use and disposed of via clinical waste. Scenario modelling was used to determine the effect of mitigation strategies; 1) eliminating international travel during supply, 2) eliminating glove use 3) reusing gowns and face shields, 4) maximal recycling.ResultsThe carbon footprint of PPE supplied during the study period totalled 106,478 tonnes CO2e, with greatest contributions from gloves, aprons, face shields, and Type IIR surgical masks. The estimated damage to human health was 239 DALYs (disability adjusted life years), impact on ecosystems was 0.47 species.year (loss of local species per year), and impact on resource depletion costed at US $ 12.7 million.Scenario modelling indicated UK manufacture would have reduced the carbon footprint by 12%, eliminating gloves by 45%, reusing gowns and gloves by 10%, and maximal recycling by 35%. A combination of strategies would have reduced carbon footprint by 75% compared with the base scenario, and saved an estimated 183 DALYS, 0.34 species.year, and US $ 7.4 million due to resource depletion.ConclusionsThe environmental impact of PPE is large and could be reduced through domestic manufacture, rationalising glove use, using reusables where possible, and optimising waste management.

UK-wide health policy under the Coalition

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Health Policy ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Social Care ◽  
The Other ◽  
Executive Orders ◽  
Health Reforms ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Health And Social Care

A volume on health reforms under the Coalition must necessarily expand its focus beyond Westminster to consider the larger UK policy context. Legislation enacted in 1998 established devolved assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with power to make law or issue executive orders in certain specified areas, including health services. This meant that an English NHS overseen by the Westminster Parliament now existed alongside separate NHS systems accountable to devolved governments in the other UK countries. Thus, the major Coalition health reforms heralded by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 applied in the main to England only. However, devolved administrations needed to formulate appropriate policy responses that either maintained differences or moved closer to the English policies. This chapter describes the divergent approaches between the four UK NHS systems, but also sheds light on the nature of coalition policy making.

The factors influencing access to health and social care in the farming communities of County Down, Northern Ireland

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
DEIRDRE HEENAN
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Farming Communities ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
County Down ◽  
Farming Families

Against a background of limited previous research, this paper examines the access to health and social care among older people in the farming communities of County Down, Northern Ireland. In-depth interviews were conducted with 45 people aged 60 or more years living on family farms to collect information about health care needs and service use and adequacy. In addition, interviews with service providers provided information on their perceptions of the farming communities' needs. The findings indicate that there are specific rural dimensions of access to services and that among the respondents there was substantial unmet need. For many farming families, using services is determined by much more than being able to reach them physically. The lack of reliable information, the culture of stoicism and the absence of appropriate services impeded obtaining effective support. Recent health care policies and strategies have stressed the importance of developing local services that are responsive to need in consultation with service users, but there is worryingly little evidence that this has occurred. It is concluded that if effective outcomes are to be achieved, policies must recognise the specific characteristics of rural populations and be sensitive to the needs, attitudes and expectations of farming families. The current lack of understanding about the distinct needs of these communities at present exacerbates the isolation and marginalisation of already vulnerable older people.

scholarly journals Primary care use of laboratory tests in Northern Ireland’s Western Health and Social Care Trust: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e026647
Author(s):  
Magda Bucholc ◽  
Maurice O’Kane ◽  
Ciaran Mullan ◽  
Siobhan Ashe ◽  
Liam Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Laboratory Test ◽  
Laboratory Tests ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Socioeconomic Characteristics ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Test Ordering

ObjectivesTo describe the laboratory test ordering patterns by general practitioners (GPs) in Northern Ireland Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) and explore demographic and socioeconomic associations with test requesting.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingWHSCT, Northern Ireland.Participants55 WHSCT primary care medical practices that remained open throughout the study period 1 April 2011–31 March 2016.OutcomesTo identify the temporal patterns of laboratory test ordering behaviour for eight commonly requested clinical biochemistry tests/test groups in WHSCT. To analyse the extent of variations in laboratory test requests by GPs and to explore whether these variations can be accounted for by clinical outcomes or geographical, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.ResultsThe median number of adjusted test request rates over 5 consecutive years of the study period decreased by 45.7% for urine albumin/creatinine ratio (p<0.000001) and 19.4% for lipid profiles (p<0.000001) while a 60.6%, 36.6% and 29.5% increase was observed for HbA1c(p<0.000001), immunoglobulins (p=0.000007) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (p=0.0003), respectively. The between-practice variation in test ordering rates increased by 272% for immunoglobulins (p=0.008) and 500% for HbA1c(p=0.0001). No statistically significant relationship between ordering activity and either demographic (age and gender) and socioeconomic factors (deprivation) or Quality and Outcome Framework scores was observed. We found the rural–urban differences in between-practice variability in ordering rates for lipid profiles, thyroid profiles, PSA and immunoglobulins to be statistically significant at the Bonferroni-adjusted significance level p<0.01.ConclusionsWe explored potential factors of the interpractice variability in the use of laboratory tests and found that differences in requesting activity appear unrelated to either demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of GP practices or clinical outcome indicators.

Resource Allocation Modelling for Home-Based Health and Social Care Services in Areas Having Differential Population Density Levels: A Case Study in Northern Ireland

2000 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 164-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Hindle ◽  
Adam Hindle ◽  
Martin Spollen
Keyword(s):  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Relative Population ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Health And Social Care

This project arose from deliberations within the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) in Northern Ireland concerning the acceptability of the revenue resource allocation methodology they were using. One problem with the method being used had been the absence of a component that adequately reflected the relative costs associated with the differential population densities of the four health boards into which the Province is divided. This study investigates a particular element of this issue, viz differences in the travelling distances and times of those health and social service professionals who provide visiting services to patients in their own homes. A modelling approach has been developed and used in conjunction with a comprehensive spatial and geographical information system for Northern Ireland. An important outcome of the study has been estimates of the targets that should be set for the annual health and social care travelling distances and times per head of population in the boards, for a range of home-based services. Also, the project has contributed to decisions made by the DHSS in Northern Ireland concerning the annual financial compensations required by boards for costs associated with their relative population densities.

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