Department of Health and Social Care streamlines PPE procurement with 8.75 billion items ordered through e-portal
Client overview
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is a government ministerial department dedicated to helping individuals lead independent and healthier lives for longer. DHSC sets the overarching strategy, funds, and oversees the health and social care system through its 28 agencies and public bodies.
Our collaboration with DHSC began during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on developing scalable solutions to enhance communication and efficiency for PPE procurement across the country.
Our collaboration with DHSC began during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on developing scalable solutions to enhance communication and efficiency for PPE procurement across the country.
The challenge
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, health and social care providers procured personal protective equipment (PPE) through un-centralised systems. As demand surged, the UK government began supplying free PPE to essential organisations. However, the initial solution via eBay's platform struggled to cope with the distribution complexities, leading to over-orders and consequent shortages.
Recognising the urgent need for a more reliable and user-friendly system, the Department of Health and Social Care sought our expertise to develop a comprehensive e-portal. This new platform needed to streamline PPE procurement efficiently and ensure it could adapt to future health crises.
Recognising the urgent need for a more reliable and user-friendly system, the Department of Health and Social Care sought our expertise to develop a comprehensive e-portal. This new platform needed to streamline PPE procurement efficiently and ensure it could adapt to future health crises.
“In just over two years since we set up the first version of the e-Portal, we have worked with over 58,000 registered providers and delivered billions of items, which is something we’re incredibly proud of. We’re well-positioned for future and ongoing distribution requirements that come our way.”— Vishal Wilde Former Policy and Communications Lead for the PPE e-Portal platform
The approach
To develop the new e-portal for the Department of Health and Social Care, we focused on creating a user-friendly and efficient system that would serve the needs of frontline workers. By prioritising these key areas, we created an e-portal that truly makes a difference, helping health and social care organisations access PPE efficiently and confidently. Here’s how we went about it:
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User research
Engaging with users right from the start, we gathered valuable insights through surveys and discussions to understand their experiences with the initial portal. This feedback was essential in guiding our improvements. -
Platform build with Adobe Commerce
We chose Adobe Commerce for its scalability and quick deployment capabilities. This enabled us to create a responsive e-portal, allowing users to easily access the system whether they were at their desks or out in the field. -
Improved search functionality
To enhance user experience, we integrated elastic search capabilities, making it easier for users to find PPE items, no matter the terminology they used. This streamlined the ordering process, saving them time and effort. -
Rapid ordering process
Understanding that frontline workers need quick access to essential supplies, we designed the e-portal to facilitate fast PPE ordering. This meant less time spent on procurement and more time focused on critical care.
The results
The launch of the new e-portal has led to impressive outcomes for the Department of Health and Social Care. The improvements not only highlight strong user satisfaction metrics but also showcase our effective response to PPE procurement needs during a critical time. With this scalable platform in place, it is well-equipped to meet any future challenges in health supply management.
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The e-portal successfully facilitated an extraordinary volume of PPE and related stock within a short timeframe, ensuring essential organisations had the supplies they needed.8.75billion items of PPE ordered
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Feedback from users revealed that 96% were either “very satisfied” (76%) or “satisfied” (20%) with the new system, reflecting its effectiveness and ease of use.96%user satisfaction
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A remarkable 97% of users expressed confidence while navigating the new platform, indicating a high level of trust in its functionality.97%confidence in the e-portal
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Users transitioned to the new system within just six weeks, demonstrating its accessibility and the smooth implementation process.sixweek quick migration