NHS Supply Chain announces new North-West regional distribution centre

NHS Supply Chain is pleased to announce that it has signed a lease for a new purpose-built regional distribution centre (RDC) in Widnes.

The new site will be known as NHS Supply Chain Gorsey Point and is set to replace the existing Runcorn site operated by NHS Supply Chain’s logistics provider, Unipart Logistics after its lease expires at the end of March 2023.

This is an exciting time for NHS Supply Chain as this is a significant step within our transformation activity to increase capacity in our network. This investment will ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place to deliver the future needs of patients, and that the network is invested in to deliver the best possible service to the NHS.

Chris Holmes, Supply Chain Director, NHS Supply Chain

The new site is being designed to meet the future needs of the NHS Supply Chain network and the increased capacity will be able to accommodate the growth targets and a broader range of products, leading to efficiencies elsewhere within the network. The increased footprint is equivalent to six professional sized football pitches.

This new site will support us to continually improve the service for NHS organisations. We are committed to leveraging the strength of our people and operations to deliver health sustainably. The new site at Gorsey Point is a fit for purpose building with BREEAM certification and facilities in line with the award-winning standards of Suffolk Park.

Claire Salmon, Unipart Director

With over 60,000 pallet spaces, the new RDC will provide enhanced supply chain resilience as it has the ability to hold increased levels of stock. This will enable more effective responses to changes and peaks in demand.

The Gorsey Point site in Widnes is only six miles away from the current site – so we are retaining the valuable experience and expertise of colleagues.

Notes to editors

The Gorsey Point site in Widnes is only 6 miles away from the current site so we are retaining the valuable experience and expertise of colleagues.

All information in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.

Average football pitch is 64,000 square feet. The new site is 400,000 square feet. Equivalent to 6 football pitches.

About NHS Supply Chain

NHS Supply Chain manages the sourcing, delivery and supply of healthcare products, services and food for NHS trusts and healthcare organisations across England and Wales.

Managing more than 8 million orders per year, across 94,000 order points and under 17, 500 locations. NHS Supply Chain delivers over 28 million lines of picked goods to the NHS annually and our systems consolidate orders from over 930 suppliers, saving trusts time and money in removing duplication of overlapping contracts. 

NHS Supply Chain aims to deliver savings of £2.4 billion back into the NHS by 2023/2024, leveraging the buying power of the NHS to drive savings and provide a standardised range of clinically assured, quality products at the best value through a range of specialist buying functions. Its aim is to leverage the buying power of the NHS to negotiate the best deals from suppliers and deliver savings back into NHS frontline services.

There are 11 specialist buying functions, known as Category Towers, delivering clinical consumables, capital medical equipment and non-medical products such as food and office solutions. Two enabling services for logistics and supporting technology underpin the model.

Working in partnership with NHS trusts, service providers, and stakeholders, NHS Supply Chain aims to:

• Anchor the business on the needs of the NHS by supporting NHS trusts to deliver safe and excellent patient care and through continuing to build the services the NHS needs.
• Further strengthen the resilience of the supply chain by continuing to invest in key tools and capacity that build resilience and performance, across the end to end supply chain.
• Deliver clinically assured, safe products that support improved outcomes for patients and users.
• Support the NHS objective of becoming the world’s first net carbon zero national health system.
• Ensure a high performing workforce and highly efficient organisation.

Oversight and operational management of NHS Supply Chain is delivered by the management function, Supply Chain Coordination Limited (SCCL). SCCL was incorporated on 25 July 2017 and is a company registered in England and Wales, company number 10881715. NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England and NHS Improvement [NHSEI]) are the sole shareholders of SCCL.

SCCL is a separate organisation to NHSEI and part of the NHS family.