Procurement

The procurement team uses Delta e-Sourcing to advertise tender opportunities.

Any suppliers who are keen to express an interest in any of these, or future opportunities, should register on our procurement portal.

Suppliers should be advised to read the guidance for suppliers documents before contacting any of the Trust staff. Please contact the Procurement team in the first instance on the following email address.

The trust is also in partnership with the Sec³ure system provided by IntelliCentrics UK to support staff and patients in dealing with Company representatives.

dhc.trust.purchasing@nhs.net

01202 277273

Write to us enclosing product/service details at:

Procurement Department
Dorset Healthcare

University NHS Foundation Trust
4-6 Nuffield Road
Poole
Dorset
H17 0RB

The Guidance for staff and Company representatives is in line with the Lords Carter report on unwanted variation in Community Mental Health, It is also a requirement in the NHSI standards of Procurement. Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust appreciates the important role that suppliers of goods and services undertake to assist the Trust with its day-to-day business. Healthcare companies in particular assist healthcare professionals in providing suitable, safe, and cost effective products to the patients in their care. It is recognised however that the prime objective of Supplier/Sales Representatives is to promote and sell their products and/or services to the Trust. This function should be undertaken in an appropriate and ethical manner and must not contravene Trust governance policies and processes or NHS Terms and Conditions of Contract.

• Guidance summary for Trust Staff
• Guidance summary for Trust suppliers

Sustainable Procurement Policy

Procurement Transformation Plan

Trust Representative Policy

Dorset Health Care Procurement Manual

Dorset Health Care ordering goods and services procedures

All purchasing activity for Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust is undertaken in accordance with UK law, public procurement law, regulations and directives, the Trust’s Standing Financial Instructions and Standing Orders, and based on the achievement of Value for Money.

Value for money is defined as the optimum combination of whole-life cost, quality and fitness for purpose to meet the Trust’s requirements.

Standing Financial Instructions contain

• Appendix B showing Delegated Limits of Authority
• Appendix D showing 'Tendering and Contract Procedure and processes to follow based on contract value

Trust Spend

What is modern slavery?

Slavery is a violation of a person's human rights. It can take the form of human trafficking, forced labour, bonded labour, forced or servile marriage, descent-based slavery and domestic slavery. A person is considered to be in modern slavery if they are:

• Forced to work through mental or physical threat
• Owned or controlled by an "employer", usually through mental or physical abuse
• Dehumanised, treated as a commodity or sold or bought as "property"
• Physically constrained or has restrictions placed on their freedom of movement

The use of slavery in the production of goods and services

Typically, the products bought nowadays have passed through a long chain of producers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers who have all participated in its production, delivery and sale. It can therefore be very difficult to certify that a product has or has not been produced using slavery. However, the way in which companies operate and manage their supply chain can affect the likelihood of slavery being a part of the final product. The Modern Slavery Act gives responsibility to companies for ensuring that no slavery has occurred, and this applies not only to the products they sell or the services they provide themselves but also to their suppliers, and the suppliers of their suppliers, all the way down the supply chain.

What we are required to do

Primarily our requirements relate to section 54 of the Act "Transparency in the supply chain" Under the Act, any company with a turnover of more than £36m must produce a statement for each financial year listing the steps it is taking to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains or in any part of its business. This statement must be published on company websites and visible to staff, suppliers, customers and investors. The trickle-down effect of the Act will be felt this year as businesses begin to ask more searching questions of their suppliers to seek assurance that they are also taking steps to ensure that their supply chains are free from slavery

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust requires the contractors to agree to the NHS Terms & Conditions of Contract for the provision of goods or services. By doing so they are confirming that they comply with all relevant Law and Guidance and shall use Good Industry Practice to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in their supply chains.

dhc.trust.purchasing@nhs.net
Procurement department Dorset
Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
4-6 Nuffield Road
Poole
Dorset
BH17 0RB