Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust to Roll Out New Online Catalogue to All Users

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, one of the pilot trusts for our Digital Commerce Programme, has decided to roll out access to the new Online Catalogue to all 2,800 of its catalogue users.

This decision follows the significant improvements made to the platform’s search functionality, which now offers a much faster and more intuitive user experience.

Manchester has played a key role in the development of the new catalogue from the start, providing regular feedback each month as new features have been introduced.

I use the search function all the time because it is so much quicker, so I’m really keen to get other users onto the platform and using it.

Andrew Jackson, Head of Supply Chain, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

This is a major milestone. By monitoring user journeys and platform performance in real time, we can continue to refine the system as usage increases.

Our other pilot trusts, some of whom have also begun adding more users, include Barts Health NHS Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. This demonstrates the value of co-designing with our customers, enabling them to expand access when they feel confident in the platform.

New Features:
We’ve recently introduced several new features, which our pilot trusts are actively testing and providing feedback on.

• Trust-specific pricing – both including and excluding VAT, has made a huge difference as it now allows users to compare prices with external sites more easily. This should help prevent them from mistakenly purchasing directly from suppliers under the impression that they are cheaper because our legacy system includes VAT but does not clearly state this.
• Enhanced ordering journey – we continue to build on the ordering journey and are receiving positive feedback on the improvements we are making.
• Mobile-friendly design – the new catalogue has been built with mobile in mind and on a recent pilot trust visit to Nottingham, one user was pleased to see how easy it is to use. Not only will this support their day to day activities but also enable more flexible working across sites.

Platform adoption update:
We now have over 30 trusts with access to the online catalogue. We’ll be sharing more updates on the migration plan in the coming months.

• At the end of 2024, we invited trusts to preview the platform in a search-and-browse capacity. Since then, we’ve onboarded three tranches of trusts. This has provided valuable fresh perspectives and feedback.
• Five trusts have subsequently requested ordering access and are currently being set up. We’ll be gathering their feedback in the coming weeks to find out more about their experience to further enhance the platform.

Coming up:
There are many more developments that we are currently working on.

• Effective purchase controls to replace the current masking system. Our research has shown that masking is often a manual, resource-intensive process that is often not maintained. Consequently, this can result in products outside of trust policy being ordered. A new suite of features will support trusts in managing their catalogues more effectively – look out for a dedicated article on this soon.
• Government Digital Service (GDS) Beta Private Assessment: The GDS assesses public sector digital services against set criteria to confirm they meet user needs effectively. Following our successful Alpha GDS assessment, we are now preparing for the Private Beta phase. This will evaluate our ways of working, user-centred design, responsiveness to feedback, and use of appropriate technology. We’ll keep you informed of our progress.