Summary

Requirement to adopt GS1/PEPPOL standards in a phased approach between Sept 2016 and 2020 of Globally Unique Identification on every product (barcoding), price, place and service (inventory management track and trace) to enable supply chain traceability from manufacturer to end patient.

The Challenge

Risk of non-compliance with the Dept of Health (DoH) e-procurement strategy and resultant interruption in supply of product and services into the NHS (UK) and significant losses in business revenue / profit.

Requirement to adopt GS1/PEPPOL standards in a phased approach between Sept 2016 and 2020 of Globally Unique Identification on every product (barcoding), price, place and service (inventory management track and trace) to enable supply chain traceability from manufacturer to end patient.

As a distributor and manufacturer to the market, Aquilant was faced with getting ourselves and all our manufacturing partners across the globe to adopt the UK requirements or to stop supply of their products to the UK market.

The Approach

Engage with suppliers and NHS customers (procurement) to establish level of readiness and to encourage early adoption (survey) to meet e-procurement compliance deadlines phased in by product classes between 2016 and 2020

Project managed to meet GS1 & PEPPOL standard requirements e.g. Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN – Barcoding) & Global Location Numbers (GLN) for products and services).

Revision of product/price management processes.

Joining a GS1 Global Data Synchronisation Network – outsourced to Pagero (Sweden) to market this.

IT system upgrades to support Electronic Data Integration (EDI) for automated ordering/invoicing to PEPPOL standards.

The Results

Ultimately a single data source for product information to all NHS customers improving customer satisfaction.

Reduced transaction costs from reduced price queries, disputes, delayed payments and improved order accuracy and cash flow.

Improved efficiencies and traceability of product in the supply chain to reduce wastage, facilitate recalls and patient care.

Compliance with the DoH e-procurement mandate to retain product supply to the NHS and meeting of contractual obligations (tenders) and anti-counterfeiting/traceability legislation (EU Med Device Regulations, 2017).