Regional engagement supports strategy for greenfield sterilisation consumables tender

 HSV’s Procurement team recently visited Bendigo Health ahead of the sterilisation consumables tender planned for early 2025.

The Procurement team was supported by HSV’s Clinical Product Advisory (CPA) team, and toured the recently upgraded Sterilising Services Department and operating theatres earlier this month.

Head of Clinical Sourcing Hassan Pirov says the visit enabled the team to get a better understanding of onsite operations, an essential before starting work on the tender strategy.

“Requirements for a regional health service like Bendigo Health are unique – they often experience delays with deliveries and need to hold higher stock levels as a result,” he says.

Bendigo Health is the largest facility providing acute care in the Loddon Mallee region. It also supplies smaller regional health services in Kyneton and Castlemaine with medical consumables such as sterilisation wrap.

Sterilisation wrap – a durable barrier material used to wrap instrument trays or medical devices before sterilisation – was one of the products affected by supply shortages during the pandemic.

Bendigo Health’s Manager of Sterilising Services Darren Martin says delivery timeframes will be a key focus for Bendigo Health with the upcoming tender.

“Our minimum delivery timeframe is 48 hours instead of next day like metro hospitals. We need companies to provide that safeguard and guarantee that if we are in a situation where supplies run short, they can help,” Darren says.

“Our supply chain extends beyond Bendigo to smaller regional health services and although our department does a fantastic job of managing that, it’s not always easy.”

Darren, who has spent many years working in infection control and sterilisation, says HSV is working with health services towards common goals.

“While cost reduction is important, the focus is on providing value beyond that,” he says.

“HSV and health services continually review requirements and expectations for suppliers to ensure health services receive value, and also support and certainty around supply.”

Several members of HSV’s Clinical Product Advisory team also toured the health service and met with Bendigo Health’s Clinical Product Advisor Brett Walsh.

Brett says the visit was a great opportunity to meet in person and build relationships with the team.

“The visit highlighted HSV’s commitment to building strong partnerships and understanding, and addressing the unique challenges of regional health services,” says Brett.

“Their proactive approach to engaging with different stakeholders gives us confidence that together we can improve healthcare outcomes in our community,” he says.

With engagement completed, the HSV Procurement team is working on a detailed analysis of the category to determine the best structure for the Product Reference Group (PRG). They are also developing a statement of requirements, key performance indicators and terms of agreement for consideration by the Reference Group to define the market engagement strategy for this category

The HSV Sterilisation Consumables tender is expected to be released to the market in mid-January 2025.

Above image: HSV Clinical Product Advisor Nicole Whiting and Clinical Product Manager Diana Skratulja with Bendigo Health Clinical Product Advisor Brett Walsh