Inventory management for operating theatres

In 2017, the focus to achieve better value and improved efficiencies in the NHS is ever greater; cutting costs, minimising wastage and improving productivity, are all common objectives that the sector strives to achieve. As a result, interest in inventory management has spiralled in recent years due to its compelling benefits, and as a pre-requisite for patient level costing information. Parallel to this, the healthcare sector has seen a rise in innovative technologies to facilitate improvements in the internal supply chain of a hospital; at the core of good supply chain practice is inventory management technologies that enable the management and control of goods in and out of a hospital – everything from a low cost box of tissues or surgical wipes to high value surgical implants. 

There are a number of separate government strategies that also significantly impact how the tracking of supplies in and out of an operating theatre department is managed. This includes the e-Procurement Strategy, the adoption of the GS1 unique device identification (UDI) programme for track and trace capability, and associated patient line and service line costing.

Inventory management and supply chain operations are fundamental to these requirements, and the Government has recognised the need for complete improvement and transformation of existing ways in which the NHS manages its supplies. Lord Carter’s report has also highlighted the need for Trusts to have a better grip on resources and costs.