New Critical Supply Register to help manage supply chain risks

HSV’s Supply Chain Surety team is developing a new Critical Supply Register, involving investigations into critical product groups used across all public hospitals, to help manage supply chain risks on behalf of the Victorian public health system.

Our aim is to be more proactive and less reactive, recognising it will take time and involves very broad networks across a wide range of products and specialties.

The register will identify the products integral to patient care and help us find ways to mitigate and prevent stock outages as part of a rapid and system-wide response to disruptions.

HSV Supply Chain Surety Manager Paul Callahan says a single hospital in Victoria can require anywhere between 8,000 and 20,000 stock keeping units.

“The diverse volume of products and medications supplied to the Victorian public healthcare system presents a challenge, with COVID-19, natural disasters and geopolitical unrest expected to continue to impact supply chains for several years,” Paul says.

“Working with key health representatives including clinical advisory groups we aim to identify the highest priority items integral to patient care, as well as the alternative products or medication options that could be used in the event they are unavailable, which will help us get ahead of some of the issues.

“The Critical Supply Register means we can improve our understanding of key products, options available to mitigate or prevent stock shortages and ways to respond rapidly and in a more coordinated way when we experience shortages and disruptions, which often arise without warning,” Paul says.

“It’s important to note that the Critical Supply Register will help us proactively mitigate supply issues that threaten our ability to provide patient care in Victoria – the aim is to work with and not to override local practice.”  

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of access and surety of supply for critical health-related products. HSV established a Supply Chain Surety function in 2021, reflecting HSV’s strategic focus on surety and planning to mitigate risks on behalf of the Victorian public health system.

The new function was put to work quickly, with employees working with clinicians, suppliers, stakeholders to mitigate and provide solutions to shortages in sterilisation wrap, cold sterilant, syringes, nutritional feeds and pharmaceuticals for COVID-19 patients.