EMPC has been supporting Pharmacy services procurement since 2011, locally, regionally and nationally. Whilst many things have changed since inception, the ethos that the patient comes first still sits at the heart of everything we do.

Hosted by University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) and currently based at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, Derby, the team are all UHDB NHS employees providing a range of support and services across a broad spread of contracts. Quality Assurance (QA) support is provided as part of our tendering process placing safety at the forefront of any contracts and awards made.

Both providers and commissioners are amongst our stakeholders and based predominantly in and around the East Midlands. We also share knowledge and expertise with our NHS colleagues across the country, engaging with Pharmacy Market Support Group (PMSG), National Pharmaceutical Supplies Group (NPSG) as well as our homecare colleagues via the National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC) of which we are active members.

Homecare… A growing and complex area; we have a number of contracts covering a range of services from a simple delivery to complex nurse administered compounded products such as OPAT and SACT.

In addition, we procure and manage a wide range of regional contracts on behalf of our members. These include Unlicensed Imports, Dose Banded Chemotherapy, PN and TPN, Ready to Administer to name but a few.

In summary –

• Patient focused approach
• Established hub covering a wide range of products and services
• Extensive QA support
• Locally, regionally and nationally networked
• Pro-active contract management
• Knowledgeable team providing on-going support
• Proven savings whilst improving service levels
• Reduced contractual risk

The EMPC team brings together both pharmacy and procurement expertise. Having 13 NHS Trust members, the team centralises procurement activities preventing duplication of effort for the individual members.

The significant financial savings are tracked and reported to its members. The team also promote value added activities with training events and study days. These have included collaborating with the London and East of England Regions to produce a three day Procurement programme, a Falsified Medicines Directive study day and assisting with the organisation of on-going Define training sessions.