Local authority PPE offering launched

In recent weeks there has been considerable pressure on local authority supply lines for a number of critical requirements.  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items have been in particular high demand with global supply under pressure across all sectors.

Scotland Excel has been working to support our local authority members by ensuring the suppliers appointed to Scotland Excel frameworks are responding to your needs as effectively as possible in these challenging times.   

We will provide sourcing support for non-health establishments (including children’s services) seeking to simplify communication with suppliers and businesses in their sourcing of PPE.

We have built a profile of the anticipated PPE demands from local authorities. And we have gathered information by using intelligence from suppliers, our experience of your historical product requirements and any visibility we have had of your demand pattern over recent weeks. Combining anticipated demand will allow us to plan together to respond to the challenges you are experiencing.  

We have created a dedicated Covid-19 newsroom to hold the latest information on our affected frameworks. This newsroom will also include market information or information we feel would be helpful to local authorities at these very challenging times. We are in the process of updating this to hold a FAQ section and we would welcome your input.

We have set up a dedicated team for the sourcing of PPE and the contact address ppe@scotland-excel.org.uk should be used when getting in touch. If your enquiry is not related to sourcing of products, please contact your account manager in the first instance. Our first bulk sourcing will begin on Monday 04 May.

In the meantime, a guidance document has been issued to local authorities for the process we intend to follow. We will also be contacting suppliers with similar guidance.

We have been made aware of some fraudulent activity within the marketplace, particularly in relation to masks. Further information can be provided to our members upon request.

We continue to work with the Scottish Government and our equivalent in Health - the NHS National Services Scotland’s National Procurement. The provision of PPE for Healthcare settings should be placed through the Triage Service operated by NHS that is coordinating provision for workers within a Health or Social Care setting. They can be contacted by email support@socialcare-nhs.info or by telephone 0300 303 3020.

Email our dedicated PPE team ppe@scotland-excel.org.uk if you have any questions or suggestions