NHS National Healthcare Uniform
The framework for NHS National Healthcare Uniform starts on 3 June 2024, runs for 60 months and ends on 2 June 2029.
Overview
The NHS National Healthcare Uniform provides core garments and cultural workwear items for clinical staff within NHS trusts in England.
This agreement has had extensive input from key stakeholders including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England, professional bodies, and NHS staff across all directorates.
The Implementation Process
NHS trusts can now join the implementation pathway to adopt the bespoke uniform. We have a dedicated team to support your trust in the adoption of the NHS National Healthcare Uniform.
We collaborated with ‘pathfinder’ trusts who shaped the future implementation of the uniform provision in the NHS. Their involvement ensures a smoother transition benefiting both healthcare professionals and patients.
See our Useful Links section to join the implementation pathway register or learn more about NHS National Healthcare Uniforms.
Please be advised the implementation process to roll out the uniform in your trust can take at least six months to complete.
Key Benefits
Centralised process and reduced timescales
- Time saved on procurement processes.
- Simplified supply lines, continuous availability, reduced individual garment costs, delivery costs and timescales.
- Utilising national volume to drive more competitive pricing, reduce variation and improve the quality of garments made.
- A single catalogue based on established, approved framework suppliers providing uniforms to an agreed, tested and endorsed design specifically for healthcare roles.
- Collation of accurate management information enabling usage mapping to understand local and national purchasing patterns.
Designed for the NHS, by the NHS
- Designed with input and feedback from the NHS workforce.
- Volunteer trust partners have tested the garments in situ, providing feedback into the design process to create a bespoke, ensuring the garments are fit for purpose, with a specification designed for NHS healthcare professionals.
Inclusive range
- Inclusive range suitable for all wearers with considerations of cultural requirements, and needs of menopausal wearers, allowing individuals to pick the uniform that matches their identity to ensure they feel valued and listened to.
- Ensuring all of the NHS workforce can wear a consistent and matching range of garments that reflect their identity.
- Scope includes all healthcare roles (excluding medical professionals). See our Useful Links section for a full list of professional groupings within scope, on the NHS National Healthcare Uniform website.
Environmental Considerations
- Standards set for garment’s environmental impact and supply resilience. National guidance input with waste specialists to review end of life processing of current uniforms.
This is a brand new framework offering a bespoke NHS National Healthcare Uniform, however, an alternative uniform provision is available through the Textiles and Associated Products framework.
- Alexandra Workwear (Mi-Hub)
- Alsico UK.
Choice
- Leading suppliers on contract – providing enhanced range and value from a single source.
More savings
- Pay less – with NHS Supply Chain you have a wider range of product options so you can select the ones that are fit for purpose and value for money.
- Leave your tendering to us – spend less time and money on tendering and let our procurement specialists undertake it on your behalf.
- Back office savings – the efficiency of our service, ranging from e-ordering to consolidated deliveries, enables significant back office savings.
More value
- An integrated approach – the financial benefits of NHS Supply Chain go beyond just product prices. Our approach is an integrated one that reduces cost throughout the supply chain, from raw materials to global logistics, resulting in a much lower total cost.
- Purchasing through our route – when there are changes in the market, we can help minimise the impact of price rises and give support with cost saving initiatives.
Our knowledge and expertise
- Dedicated Hospital Care and Out of Hospital Care Teams – your day to day contact for all queries. They will help you identify savings opportunities, solve any issues on your behalf and ensure high service levels are always met.
- NHS Supply Chain Buyers – procurement specialists in their product fields who can give expert advice on new and alternative products.
- Implementation Team – experts in helping you set up the new processes and training required when introducing new products.
- Customer Services Team – with the daily support provided by our dedicated and knowledgeable advisors and service managers you know you are in safe hands.
- Customer Assurance – providing customers with the confidence and assurance of products using a process of clinical evaluation and engagement with clinical users. This ensures all products are clinically assured by the CaPA process supported by engagement with an aligned Trusted Customer.
Peace of mind
- Dependable deliveries – having access to the know-how and resources of one of the world’s largest logistics companies means we can offer unrivaled dependability and responsiveness when it comes to our delivery services.
- Framework agreement – awarded in accordance with UK procurement legislation.
- Sustainable development – we are certified to ISO 140001 International Standard for Environment Management System.