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e-Enablement

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Procurement eEnablement Strategy

As early adopters of e-procurement within the NHS the Trust has many years experience in establishing the standards around transactioal processing and product coding and classification. The Trust was the first hospital in europe to trade through the Global Healthcare Exchange back in February 2002. We have seen the exchange grow in the US and Europe and now we trade with over 100 suppliers on-line. In terms of product coding we were the first Trust in the UK to join GS1 - now the adopted standard for the NHS. We will continue to support this adoption through our continuing membership of the GS1 International Healthcare User Group on Medical Devices and Instruments and as part of the GS1 UK Leadership Group.

The NHS and its supply network can achieve significant benefits from the use of eEnablement technologies in procurement and commercial activities. However, the fragmented approach that the NHS has taken to the implementation of these technologies means that achievement of the benefits varies across the NHS.

The NHS Procurement eEnablement Delivery Group (NPEDG) has developed this strategy to provide a mechanism to drive forward a consistent approach to the adoption of eEnablement technologies in NHS procurement and commercial activities.

The strategy will be implemented through a three year work program managed through NPEDG, commencing from June 2007.

Letter from NPEDG

eEnablement strategy executive summary

eEnablement strategy full document

Classification, supplier and product coding are the building blocks of content standards in procurement. Following consultation the National Procurement eEnablement Delivery Group has established the following as the standards for the NHS. The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust fully supports this strategy and has already implemented the first two standards. We will work to include supplier coding standards in all procurement systems as part of the Trust's Finance strategy which is approved at Board Level.