Make Ready Tender 2022 · UK public procurement notice

1.1. SCAS requires a fully managed Make Ready service to ensure the scheduled required number of frontline A&E vehicles and other supporting operational vehicles are cleaned, re-stocked, fully equipped and ready for use, when and where needed on a 24/7 basis to meet SCAS’s Operational demands. For every crew, for the start of every shift and at every site

1.2. SCAS will ensure vehicles are available to meet the Make Ready requirements. If the required number of vehicles are not available, the MRT will Make Ready any available vehicle on site (whatever its designated site)

1.3. To deliver these services SCAS will support the on-site presence and provide related information technology systems (i.e., email accounts and system logins as required) and ITC hardware for the management and delivery of the contract (i.e., access to computers). SCAS will not provide other equipment (such as barcode/QR scanners or RFID tags/readers required for the delivery of this service.

The key services required under the Make Ready Service are:

1.4. Vehicle Cleaning to clinical standards as set out in National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 and SCAS guidelines as prescribed in APPENDIX H – SCAS IPC POLICY - QGARD NASIPCG IPC POLICY FINAL OCT 2021. This policy will hence be referred to as SCAS IPC Policy throughout the remainder of this specification.

There are five distinct cleaning services.

1.4.1. Make Ready - for all vehicles on station that will be required on shift (other than NEPTS vehicles)

1.4.2. Hot swapping - in rare circumstances when there is insufficient time for a Make Ready (refer Section 8.9)

1.4.3. Periodic Clean 12 weekly - Frontline vehicles. This scheduled and extended clean includes an audit of all equipment, medical consumables and medicines.

1.4.4. Periodic Clean 6 weekly – NEPTS vehicles. This scheduled and extended clean includes an audit of all equipment and medical consumables.

1.4.5. Make Ready service is for Frontline vehicles only. However, NEPTS vehicles at certain locations (Bracknell, Newbury, Eastleigh, Hightown, North St Reading, Wrexham, High Wycombe, Milton Keynes, Stoke Mandeville, Adderbury, Didcot and Oxford City - as highlighted on Appendix E) are to be checked daily as per Section 11 - Vehicle Daily Inspection.

1.4.6. Vehicle decontamination post aerosol generating procedure or infectious disease incident

1.5. Vehicle readiness, ensuring vehicles are in the right place at the right time

1.5.1. Vehicle movements

1.5.2. Refuelling

1.5.3. Daily vehicle roadworthy checks

1.6. Management of vehicle equipment, stock and medicines

1.6.1. Management of medical equipment, including carrying out functionality checks and reporting failures.

1.6.2. Restocking consumables

1.6.3. Checking medicines modules are in date

1.7. Provision of integrated IT systems to support service delivery and performance management

1.8. The vehicles in scope for this contract include:

• 407 Frontline

o 303 Double Crew Ambulances (DCA)

o 60 Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV)

o 22 Team Leader

o 19 Specialist Paramedics

• 349 NEPTS
• Any other nominated vehicle as required.

Note: The total number of vehicles in the fleet and the composition is subject to fluctuation.

Refer to separate attachment Appendix E – Vehicle Fleet List for full list of vehicles, type of vehicle and location.

1.9. SCAS and the Supplier to work in collaboration in the event of serious incidents &/or epidemics &/or pandemics to maintain the Make Ready Service

The Supplier is to support the aspirations of SCAS Sustainable Development Management Plan 2020 (Appendix L) and work with SCAS to identify opportunities that will assist SACAS reaching our sustainability targets.

1. Medicines management is a centralised department for SCAS with two locations. The Supplier is to provide resilience with appropriate level of staffing to carry out the required tasks to the standard specified by SCAS.

1.1. Packing of modules requires a second check by a second trained member.

2. The supplier is invited to suggest a process that ensures medicines are in-date for the optimum length of time, thus maximising the resource and reducing waste
3. The Supplier must identify the most efficient method of working (shifts) to ensure that the packing of medicines is maintained and there are always medicine pouches (modules) available for and distribution to stations around SCAS, including associated consumables, for example Dataloggers.
4. The Supplier must pre-pack medicines and agreed consumables in pouches in accordance with module stock lists provided by SCAS.
5. The Supplier is required to pack bags in a manner that ensures safety and security of the medicines, including the use of tamper proof seals if requested by SCAS
6. The Supplier controls delivery of modules to stations (Drivers and vans to be supplied by the supplier). Refer Appendix C for delivery frequencies.
7. The Supplier is to provide robust audit and review of the medicines used and packed into the pouches for supply. Ensuring that any errors are identified and neutralised as efficiently as possible, with the ability to learn and adapt process to reduce repeats of any errors. Understanding the importance accuracy has in this process.
8. For audit purposes Suppliers are to provide a solution that enables staff with means to record the stages of the process. The resulting data will be available for reporting and used to identify process efficiencies.

8.1. The current (preferred) process utilises barcode readers and RFID technology. However, the solution uses a different process, suppliers are invited to present their alternative solution.

9. It is essential that the location of all medicines is known, for possible medicines recall, audit purposes and risk mitigation. Suppliers are required to provide a rigorous system that accurately records locations of modules at any given time. See 13.7.1 which also applies here.
10. The Supplier will provide reports to designated SCAS managers at agreed intervals. Report detail to include

10.1. Last known location of modules

10.2. Date and time of last recorded location

10.3. The number the of modules packed vs the number expected to be packed– per site, employee, hour, etc

11. SCAS managers will have access to reported data dynamically through an electronic dashboard.
12. The target number of modules per station will be agreed between SCAS and Supplier based on number of crew shifts and vehicles per site. For this reason, SCAS will provide vehicle numbers and crew shifts to the Supplier, and any changes to these will require a review of medicines management staffing resources from the Supplier.
13. Goods must be supplied in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance in accordance with Good Distribution Practice
14. The Supplier must comply with obligations set out in the tender document including but not limited to KPIs, obligation to quality, performance characteristics, supply, delivery and training
15. The Supplier shall cooperate fully with SCAS in relation to the application of policies on reporting and responding to incidents and in response to queries, questions or information relating to goods
16. The Supplier will deliver goods in accordance with delivery timescales, dates and delivery instructions
17. The Supplier will hold an accurate stock management inventory with accurate delivery notes, that will remain accessible to SCAS on request
18. Goods remain the property of SCAS at all times
19. The Supplier is responsible for updating their internal SOPs in the timeframe determined, or sooner if required. These SOPS must be agreed by SCAS
20. The Supplier is responsible for ensure staff are trained in the use of SOPs and policies, including retraining following version changes. Accurate training records must be held, that will remain accessible to SCAS on request
21. All staff involved in the handling of medicines must have Enhanced DBS checks
22. All medicines related documents and records are retained for at least five years. This includes but is not limited to:

22.1. Requisitions

22.2. Picking notes

22.3. Orders

22.4. Supplier delivery notes

22.5. CD records

22.6. Invoices and associated documents

22.7. Any transaction in medicines supplied or received

23. Records must include at least the following information:

23.1. Date

23.2. Name of the medicinal product

23.3. Quantity received

23.4. Supplied or brokered

23.5. Name and address of the supplier

23.6. Customer, broker or consignee (as appropriate)

23.7. Batch number.

24. The Supplier should actively engage with any mechanisms in place to report irregularities in the patterns of movement of medicines, or their suspected diversion or misuse
25. Products requiring specific storage measures are identified promptly and stored appropriately
26. Medicinal products are handled and stored in such a manner as to prevent spillage, breakage, contamination and mix-ups
27. Destruction of medicinal products is in accordance with SCAS Waste Management Policy & Procedures and IPC Policy
28. The Supplier will actively engage in any regulatory or internal recall operations promptly and at any time
29. There is an agreed internal audit programme and reports are available for all audits/self- inspections, showing agreed corrective actions and timetable for completion. Corrective actions should be undertaken in a timely manner, or reasons of non-compliance stated. Reports of audits/self-inspections are available to SCAS.
30. There is a clear management structure setting out the responsibility and accountability of each member of staff involved in packing and distribution, supported with up to date and agreed job descriptions and pe…

LOT 3 Sections 14.4 and 14.5 Medical Consumable Prepacking

14.4. Pre-packing

14.4.1. Some consumable items and equipment are packed into groups for a specific medical scenario, or into specialist bags e.g., dressings pack, burns pack and maternity pack.

14.4.2. The Supplier must pre-pack medical consumables and equipment bags in accordance with separate attachment Appendix F - Packing Lists

14.4.3. A record of consumables packed and number of bags produced is to be maintained to assist with stock taking (as per 14.2.4.)

14.5. Medical Consumable Pre-packs

14.5.1. Medical consumable pre-packs are heat sealed clear bags containing a set of loose consumables items. Medical consumables pre-packs are included in equipment bags or placed in vehicle cupboards.

14.5.2. A minimum stock of pre-packed medical consumables should be available at each hub to minimise the time required to restock the vehicle and avoid possible stock-outs.

14.5.3. The Supplier is required to provide all materials required to undertake the pre-packing activity including bags and heat sealers.

14.5.4. This current process of heat-sealed plastic bags may change to pouch systems at the request of SCAS to align with NHS guidance.