29 April 2021
Sterilisation wrap stock centralised to ensure supply
Sterilisation wrap is now on the list of goods distributed through the State Supply Chain (SSC), and HSV is playing a part in securing and managing sterilisation wrap stock for Victorian health services.
A global shortage of non-woven SMS fabric caused by demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected supply of single-use sterilisation wrap for surgical equipment.
Stock levels have become a significant concern across all Australian states, including public and private hospitals in Victoria. A considered statewide approach is being taken to ensure the shortage does not pose a risk to elective surgery in the months ahead.
HSV Director Procurement Joe Neill briefed health services during a statewide COVID-19 meeting earlier in April.
“Our goal is to secure and manage stock to enable health services to continue operations without disruption,” he says.
“We want to ensure all health services are across the current situation and prepared for the next steps. To that aim, we have a number of our clinical, procurement and supply chain experts working to secure stock, liaising with existing suppliers and validating new suppliers to ensure their stock is fit for purpose.
“Two new suppliers are undergoing validation and their stock will be ready for distribution as soon as this is completed,” says Joe.
"The ability of our health services to work together, share the scare resource, adapt to what is available and move to alternate solutions such as canisters has been key while we have secured new overseas and local suppliers," he says.
Outstanding orders will be redirected to the SSC from 1 May 2021. New orders will go through the SSC and be fulfilled based on fair share principles using Zycus.
HSV meets bi-weekly with the Department of Health (DH) and the Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) clinical group including health service COOs, Safer Care Victoria and clinical representatives to update stock levels and progress sourcing and supply chain issues.
The centralisation of sterilisation wrap means health services will see some differences in distribution:
Business-as-usual suppliers:
- Allocation will be based on a push model arrangement for available wrap brands that each hospital currently uses
- Volume supplied will replicate the model used by business-as-usual suppliers
- All stock received each week will be fully allocated in the next week unless reprioritised by the Department of Health.
New suppliers:
- Ordering will be through Zycus in the State Supply Chain
- Only order product that you have validated
- Health services are able to top up their supply from new suppliers (Ultra Health, Care Essentials and A.R. Medicom)
- We are building a stockpile for future supply certainty.
Sterilisation wrap from new suppliers will be sent directly to metropolitan health services for validation, and the following regional leads will assist in breaking down cases for distribution:
Regional leads:
- Gippsland – Latrobe Regional Hospital
- Hume – Goulburn Valley Health
- Loddon Mallee – Bendigo Health
- Grampians – Ballarat Health Services
- South-West – Warrnambool
- Barwon – University Hospital of Geelong.
All contracted and non-contracted supplier information will be added to HSV’s Product Information Library (PIL).
For more information:
- Updates are shared at monthly COVID-19 statewide engagement meetings.
- Frequently asked questions are available on our website.
- Ongoing support from HSV Customer Relationship Managers.
- HSV Help Desk at helpdesk@healthsharevic.org.au or phone 03 9947 3900.