Join the First Wave: Be Among the First to Use Our New Online Catalogue
Over the past 18 months, we’ve been designing and building a new online catalogue, in collaboration with our five pilot trusts.
Their invaluable support and feedback has been instrumental as we’ve developed and released new features in phases, allowing us to gain real-world insights into how the catalogue is used for searching, browsing, and ordering products.
Our pilot trusts are already experiencing the significant improvements to the platform’s search functionality, which now offers a much faster and more intuitive user experience. With over 1.5 million searches performed each month on our existing catalogue, several of the pilot trusts are choosing to add more users so they too can benefit from the improved search function.
Since January this year, we’ve expanded access to the new catalogue’s search and browse functionality to more trusts to gain further feedback, with over 30 now having access.
We’ve now built a foundational product, that delivers the core operational functionality for placing and tracking orders, and are ready to open up access to the new catalogue to all customers. We’ll do this through a phased approach starting from November 2025.
We’re already receiving great feedback about the new catalogue, but we’ll continue to develop it in collaboration with users to ensure it provides the best possible user experience.
Emma Lowry, Head of Customer Digital Experience, NHS Supply Chain
Features and benefits – new functionality
On both desktop and mobile, the new catalogue will enable users to:
- Log in via integrated single sign on.
- Browse products using eClass navigation.
- Use the search engine to search for products by NPC, MPC, supplier, brand, GTIN or free text.
- View product pages and product lists, and add products to shopping basket.
- Place orders, and view order history.
- See (and set) financial approval levels.
- View (and manage) user roles and permissions.
- Use guided buying features (tailored catalogue / shareable lists).
The version of the new catalogue that customers will have access to at activation will not be the final product. We will continue to build on these features and enhance the catalogue further to meet the evolving needs of our users.
Opening access to everyone allows us to gain valuable data and insight from user journeys and to understand the platform’s performance as we build up traffic. This will enable us to prioritise future developments.
The existing catalogue will still be available for users to access after they have been activated on the new one.
Benefits users are already seeing:
- Faster, more efficient search, saving users time.
- Trust-specific pricing, including and excluding VAT, enabling accurate price comparisons with external suppliers.
- Product images in the basket, making it easier to review orders.
- Persistent basket contents, even after session timeouts.
- Mobile-responsive site, allowing users to browse and order on the go.
I prefer the new catalogue, it’s definitely faster.
Madeline Redman, Surgical Category Procurement Lead, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
I have the ability to check my basket at a glance.
Helen Sleeper, Materials Management Team Leader, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Visually the new catalogue is a lot easier when you do a search, thanks to the larger images.
Adel McMahon, Buyer, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Rolling out the new catalogue
We will start to open access to all customers from November 2025, providing training and support as you transition.
When will my trust gain access?
- We’re currently segmenting our customers into four tranches, with the first one beginning in November 2025. We anticipate the full activation programme will take approximately one year.
- If your trust is interested in joining the initial phase of activation and gaining early access to the new catalogue, please contact the Digital Commerce team and copy in your NHS Supply Chain ICS Manager.
Digital Commerce Team
- We will provide further details of the activation plan in the coming months.
How we’ll support your activation
All trusts will be fully supported to ensure transition to the new catalogue is as smooth as possible. We’re committed to ensuring there will be minimal disruption to NHS operations.
Our activation plan covers all aspects of business change, with a focus on building user knowledge and confidence.
Support will include:
- Tailored onboarding training packs and support tools.
- A fully trained Customer Services team.
- IT Support and ICS Managers available post-activation.
- Ongoing feedback opportunities and drop-in sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some of the common questions you may have.
Yes, the old platform will remain available during the activation phase to minimise any risk.
No, it should use your standard login details using single sign on.
No, these can all still be found on the old catalogue and will form part of our research into future requirements.
In the new catalogue you will find Shareable Lists, which is a new form of shoppable list that you will receive training on. This is a new way to pick favourites and share them with other people in your trust.
Your Trust Administrator will determine the user roles and permissions. They will not be carried across automatically, but will be requested and implemented as part of the initial set up process.
Yes, the new catalogue Order History will contain orders from both the new and old catalogue. The old catalogue Order History will also show orders that have come through from the new catalogue.
Masking is being replaced with Tailored Catalogues, which trusts will receive full training on.
Links section
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Digital Commerce Programme
Read more about how and why we are developing a new online catalogue.
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Manchester to Roll Out New Online Catalogue
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust to give access to the new Online Catalogue to more users.