Pandemic personal protective equipment (PPE) future supply: lessons learned

Part 2: Key lessons learned progress

Cross public sector collaboration with the NHS on PPE supply issues should be considered as part of a future strategy

The new pandemic PPE supply strategy will include an opt-in collaborative procurement arrangement, managed by NSS, for public sector organisations. We will also consider access for NHS primary care contractors. We are also considering other sectoral access to this collaborative arrangement, or some other emergency supply. This work is currently being taken forward collaboratively between SG, NHS NSS and other partners as part of the Project.

The Project is continuing the work of the PPE Futures Stakeholder Engagement workstream, to ensure that the new supply arrangements are developed and implemented closely with stakeholders. We have put a stakeholder engagement and communication strategy in place and formed a Stakeholder Reference Group.

A reformed stockpiling and buying approach for pandemic PPE is required

A national pandemic PPE stockpile will be implemented as part of the new PPE Supply arrangements. This will include a stock management and rotation strategy to address the issues of stock wastage, obsolescence and revalidation as identified within the lessons learned reviews.

A surge capacity should be incorporated into the future pandemic PPE supply and stockpiling arrangements to guarantee that PPE demand is met during the volatile early stages of any future pandemic

The Project Surge Capacity workstream is currently taking this lesson learned forward, and will propose and implement a surge capacity as part of the future pandemic PPE Supply arrangements. This work will align closely with the objective of supporting the PPE Scottish manufacturing base where possible.

We must build upon the progress made during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of supporting new, domestic supply chains and the development of data modelling

The Manufacturing workstream within the PPE Futures Programme examined the opportunities for the domestic manufacturing sector going forwards, such as exporting PPE, product innovation, and diversification. It also underlined the challenges to the sector that would have to be overcome. This includes decreasing PPE demand as pandemic measures are reduced, and the legislative boundaries around the SG directly supporting the sector. The Inbound Supply and Surge Capacity workstreams are currently considering how these opportunities can be realised within the future supply arrangements.

Primary care and adult social care require a long term and sustainable PPE supply strategy

During the PPE Futures Programme pandemic PPE provision for primary and social care was extended to ensure that healthcare workers had adequate supplies of high quality PPE. The Project will continue to work with these policy areas and ensure that the opt in collaborative procurement arrangements for pandemic PPE are taken into account as part of their wider policy plans.

A future strategy also needs to consider how private businesses and third sector organisations can be as prepared as possible for future pandemics to ensure that they continue to deliver essential public services

The third party framework for these organisations ended in 2021, and future provision for the sector is being considered. Progress has been made in scoping out the potential options available, and comparing these to the lessons learned work that was completed when the framework closed down. This work will also closely align with the Project’s objective to put in place sectoral preparedness guidance, as detailed below.

Additional key lesson learned

The ongoing lessons learned work and consultation responses highlighted the need for organisations to have some form of written SG guidance. This should outline how they can prepare for a future pandemic, and practical guidance should their usual supply routes fail.

The need to recognise and maintain the productive working networks formed between SG and partner agencies during the pandemic was also raised by several sources. The need to formalise these into planned stand up arrangements for a future pandemic was also highlighted.

 In response, the Project is taking forward the additional objectives of:

• sectoral guidance outlining the steps organisations can take to ensure continuity of pandemic PPE supplies in the event of a future pandemic
• stand up guidance outlining the steps to be taken to ensure collaborative working within the SG and with partnership organisations in the event of future pandemic

Transferred lessons learned

Some lessons learned will be most effectively actioned in other areas of the SG. These generally fall under the remit of contingency planning for human resourcing within the SG in the event of a future pandemic, and implementing wider preparedness measures outwith the PPE supply element. These lessons have either been, or will be, transferred to SG colleagues to consider and incorporate into their wider countermeasures and preparedness work as necessary.