Major Issues Facing Supply Chain Managers in NHS

This research focuses on the major issues faced by supply chain managers in the NHS and explores strategies for effective management. It discusses the importance of managing inventory, analyzes possible risks, and identifies tools for maintaining safety and quality. The study aims to provide insights into the supply chain management practices in the healthcare industry.

NHS SUPPLY CHAIN -
Major Issues Facing
Supply Chain Managers

Abstract
The inventory management is most important and vital for hospitals and health care industry
where lives of people is at stake thus, a detailed information on medicine batches and stock of
other doctor’s equipment has become vital and important. Further, effective management of the
supply chain is also vital and seemed important to diagnose possible problem on time which
ensures and leads to a solution and resolution in a correctly manner through ensuring and moving
of items in a quickly and efficiently manner to proper destination. The current research project is
based on NHS which emphasis on analysis of importance and ways of managing inventory along
with exploring strategies and effectiveness of managing suppliers. Further an identification of
tools which support maintaining safety and quality for taking enhanced competitive advantages
are also made. Beside this, the current investigation is only based on analysis of secondary data
as it more cost and time effective way of performing a study.
Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Research Topic: NHS SUPPLY CHAIN - Major Issues Facing Supply Chain Managers.............1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Background to the study.........................................................................................................1
Aim and objectives.................................................................................................................1
Rationale for selection of topic...............................................................................................2
Research questions.................................................................................................................2
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................2
To identify importance and ways of managing inventory......................................................3
To analyses possible risk and Major Issues Faced by Supply Chain Managers while managing
inventory.................................................................................................................................4

To explore strategies and effectiveness of managing suppliers.............................................5
To identify tools of maintaining safety and quality for taking competitive advantages........7
Methodology and data collection.....................................................................................................8
Scope and limitation.............................................................................................................11
Results/Findings.............................................................................................................................11
Analysis and evaluation of research Findings...............................................................................20
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................22
Recommendation...........................................................................................................................23
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................24

Research Topic: NHS SUPPLY CHAIN - Major Issues Facing Supply Chain
Managers
Introduction
Background to the study
Supply chain basically represents the network of a company that its between a firm and its
suppliers associated with production and distribution of a specific product or service. Supply
chain network includes different activities, entities, people, resources and information involved
and contributes in creating a product started from availability of raw material till distribution of
final product (Jia, Gong and Brown, 2019). Thus, the key activities of supply chain network
comprises of effective reining, designing, manufacturing along with proper packaging and
transportation. Thus, proper supply chain management is important and vital for an organisation
as it streamlines everything within a firm through keeping and maintaining a proper smooth flow
of all products and services without any unexpected disasters. Apart from this, an effective
supply chain management is also vital to diagnose a problem on time and ensures disruption
correctly through ensuring and moving of items in a quickly and efficiently manner to proper
destination (Betcheva, Erhun and Jiang, 2020).
The NHS (National Health Service) is a well known publically funded healthcare system
the main headquarter of which is situated at London, England, UK. This organisation is working
with the aim of providing healthy and high quality care services for all people across the various
location of UK (Allden and et. al., 2018). Thus, an effective supply chain has become an essence
and must needed for NHS. Many issues are faced by Supply Chain Managers is ensuring a
proper and smooth delivery of all needed products, equipments and heath care services to
consumer which consists of costing, quality customer services, risk management, supplier
relationship, unforeseen delays, qualified team and workers along with fast changing markets.
Therefore, current investigation is lead out on NHS to identify management ways, management
strategies and security tools regarding the supply chain adopted by its manager to have a smooth
supply chain management.
Aim and objectives
Research aim
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“To identify management ways, management strategies and security tools regarding the
supply chain. A case study on the NHS supply chain”.
Research objectives
 To identify importance and ways of managing inventory.
 To explore strategies and effectiveness of managing suppliers.
 To identify tools of maintaining safety and quality for taking competitive advantages.
Rationale for selection of topic
The selection of current research topic is rationale as effective management of supply
chain is vital and essentially needed for all organisations to ensure smooth and free flow of
distribution of products and services. Thus, leading out of current investigation in the topic of
supply chain management which comprises of ways, problems and importance of managing
inventory is vital and significant from view point of a firm. Apart from this, leading out current
investigation is also important to evaluate about some better strategies to help and aid supply
mangers for effective management of inventory along with some benefits of using tools of
maintaining quality and safety for taking advantages of competition. Beside this, current research
project is also vital from personal view point of researcher as it meets academic and educational
interest along with ensuring and facilitating key knowledge and understanding on the vital topic
of supply chain. Further, development in skills and managerial capabilities is also a vital
significance of current project for researcher and other scholars.
Research questions
 What are some ways, problems and importance of managing inventory?
 Which strategies can help companies in managing suppliers?
 What are some benefits of using tools of maintaining quality and safety for taking
advantages of competition?
Literature Review
This forms a crucial and vital part of each research work which provides a leads out a base
for further investigation by the way of analysis and review of secondary form of data Arifoğlu
and Tang, 2020). The current literature review is based on the topic of Major Issues Facing
Supply Chain Managers that main objectives of which are evaluated and discussed below with
the help of available online articles and journal.
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To identify importance and ways of managing inventory
As per the view point Betcheva, L., Erhun, F. and Jiang, H., 2020, managing inventory is
important to ensure accuracy and efficiency in product flow which results in saved time and
money along with ensuring a smooth and free flow of products and services to proper destination
and customers. Beside this, an effective management of inventory also helps in preventing the
issue and chances of stock-outs along with ensuring accurate recordkeeping to reduce chances of
all chaos and confusion together with a better control of flow of resources. Thus, an analysis can
be made out that managing inventory is must and essentially needed within a hospital to have an
effective inventory management system which ensures real-time inventory counts and set up
parameters to eliminate waste and product shortages (Importance of Inventory Management in
the Healthcare Industry, 2019).
Apart from this an, analysis about the importance of managing inventory within an hospital
ca n also be made from the information provided by Kevin Johnston, 2020, an evaluation and
discussion of which is provided as follows:
Meeting inventory goals- The main benefit and advantage of inventory management
comprises of having a more accurate and a real time inventory counts through setting up and
leading out an automatic and effective records and check on inventory. Thus, effectively
managing inventory ensures and leads out to elimination of wastage and also reduces the chances
of product shortage with in a medical organisation to meet its inventory goals in a more effective
manner (Chintanapunt and Pichyangkura, 2020).
Manage recalls and reduce expiration of medicine- The another importance of inventory
management within hospital comprise of effectively tracking all medical equipments and
devices. This facilitates and leads a better control and check over medication with barcodes and
asset tags which empower managers to more effectively recall the expiry date of inventory to
reduce the number of expiated products and overcome the issue of medicine expiration.
Alignment with sales projections- In field of medicines, it is quite difficult to have accurate
sales projections as one cannot predict the diseases and the number of accidents thus, it is vital
and difficult to set a coordination between demand and supply of medical inventory. Thus, more
automated and better management of inventory becomes more vital and crucial for hospital to
have an in comparison to meet actual sales. Apart from this, prevention of wastage and free up
cash that would gone in to manage excess inventory would also be effectively management by
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regular inventory taking that help medical companies to identify trends (Chintanapunt and
Pichyangkura, 2020).
Use analytics to make better decisions- The another importance of hospital supply
management also comprise of having transformation into analytics and supports and helps a
medical organisation to make better decisions. Apart from this, automated inventory
management also built the power of a company to have data driven decisions in order to forecast
demand more accurately to have reduction in wastage along with meeting maintenance needs.
Further, an implication and better understanding about the ways for effective inventory
management could also be made which consist of Fine-tuning and effective forecasting of
inventory along with making use of FIFO approach (first in, first out) which reduces the issue of
expiry medicine through clearing up the old stock first. Beside this, identifying on the basis of
low-turn stock is also an effective way for medical organisation to reduce its cots along with
regular Audit of the stock to have better control and monitor on theft and wastage of medical
stock and inventory (Clauson and et. al., 2018).
To analyses possible risk and Major Issues Faced by Supply Chain Managers while managing
inventory
As per the view point of Nick Boariu. 2019., an analysis can be made out that many risk
and issues are faced by a Supply Chain Managers while managing inventory as there many vital
and complex factors are included into supply chain of a hospital like strategic supplier
partnership, customer relationship, level of information sharing along with postponement of
stock ad inventory. An analysis and evaluation of some theses supply chain management issues
and challenges faced by Supply Chain Managers while managing inventory are discussed below:
Maintaining Safety and Quality- With the rise in the supply chain network and
globalisation of industries the issue and concern regarding the quality and safety of products and
medical equipments has increased. Further, meeting of regulatory standards and legal process for
supply of some substantial drugs and medicine is also creating issues and challenges for supply
chain managers (Dey and et. al., 2019). Thus, an analysis can be made out that ensuring a proper
and smooth flow of suppliers along with maintaining the safety and quality standards of
medicine and other stock is the key responsibility and challenge for a supply chain manager as
safety issue and quality are the two vital factors that can affect and hamper the company
reputation and its cash flow.
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Shortage or Overstock of Pharmaceuticals- It is also a common issue and challenge faced
by a supply chain manager within in hospitals. It is difficult for a supply chain manager to expect
and main accurate estimation of demand of medical equipments and medicine thus, issues of
medicine shortage or overstock are common seen and faced by supply chain manager that stock
its cash flow and hamper company reputation. The shortage of medicine resulted in form of
limited availability of active ingredients by clinics and hospital which can be due to trade issues
where as overstock of medicine enhanced the risk of expiry and obsolesce of medical stock.
Thus, shortage of medicine leads to many issues and challenges for supply chain managers in
form of lack of proper healthcare services which affect the availability of branded and generic
medicine (Duque-Uribe, Sarache and Gutiérrez, 2019).
Loss or theft of surgical equipments and other Pharmaceuticals- It is also a biggest and
most common challenge and issue faced by a supply chin manager which cost million to
healthcare industry. Ineffective managing of inventory and stock would lead to enhanced cases
and chances of lost and theft of surgical equipments and other Pharmaceuticals that lead to big
issue and challenge for supply chain manager in form of high loss and lack of needed equipments
and medicine to fulfil the customer demand.
Tracking Expiry dates- Keeping a proper records of all stock and medicine available
within a hospital or clinic is also a difficult and challenging for a manager which causes the issue
of tracking of expiry dates. An analysis can be made out that the stock of healthcare comprise of
many life saving drugs and medicines have a small life and can be hazardous for use after expiry
date. Thus, keeping a track of all medicines and timely sales of all medicine before there expiry
is vital and challenging to for a supply chain manager within health care industry (Elkhechafi
and et. al., 2018).
To explore strategies and effectiveness of managing suppliers
With respect to information Sammi Caramela. 2020, it has been find out that the many
strategies needs to adopted by an organisation to ensures and lead out effectiveness in managing
the suppliers. These strategies consist of prioritizing inventory which would help to effectively
understand the items that are more needed and frequently demanded by the customers. Further to
ensures, effectiveness in healthcare industry medicine and drugs can be categorised as A, B and
C group to effectively meet the demand and ensures more better inventory management. Apart
from this, tracking a regular and an effective track of all product and information is also a vital
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strategy to meet the effectiveness level in managing supplies. Apart from tracking of all product
and medical equipments also ensures and leads out to track cost of each item over time along
with making a supply chain manager more aware about the factors like cost and scarcity of
resources to ensure are effective and better management of inventory within health care industry.
The some other strategies which can be adopted and taken in care by supply chain managers of
health care industry to meet the standard and effectiveness of managing suppliers are provided
and evaluated below:
Overcoming Unforeseen delays- The first and foremost step needs to taken by a supply
chain managers consist of making step for overcoming unforeseen delays to overcome the issue
of shortage of supply through maintaining proper and smooth flow of inventory. This can be
done by a supply chain manager through keeping a sufficient buffer stock of highly needed
medicine through maintaining an efficient warehouse system to have certain material delivered
to create a time cushion in terms of delivery which ensures everything runs smoothly to maintain
the effectiveness in managing suppliers (Hardy, Bhakoo and Maguire, 2020).
Evaluating needs of fast changing market- The another vital way to meet the standard
and effectiveness in the management of inventory comprises of setting effective balance and
coordinating with the fast changing needs and wants of market and target customers. It is
important and essential for a supply chain manager to keep a check on recent changes going on
within a market along with regularly monitoring the needs and wants of dynamic environment to
maintain and keep a effectiveness in managing suppliers to cater and meet that dynamic wants.
Effective supplier’s relationship- The most vital strategy for leading effectiveness in
managing suppliers comprise of maintaining effective supplier’s relationship as through keeping
a mutually sound and more harmonious relationship with partners and suppliers ensures a more
smooth and free flow of stock to provide customers with needed products in a timely manner to
meet the effectiveness of managing suppliers. Further, a harmonious and sound relationship with
suppliers also ensures and lead to enhanced opportunities for a supply chain manager through
mitigating risk of shortage and overstocking of raw material through working effectively and
leading enhance effectives in managing supplier trough more timely and instant supply of needed
products (Hendry and et. al, 2019).
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To identify tools of maintaining safety and quality for taking competitive advantages
According to the view point of Michael Wilson. 2020, many tools and techniques are
available for a supply chain manager for maintaining safety and quality in managing supplies
which also helps in taking competitive advantage. An analysis of some of these tools and
techniques for maintaining safety and quality for taking competitive advantages by a supply
chain manager and healthcare orgnisation like NHS are provided and evaluated below:
Implementing a Hospital Supply Management System- It is a vital tool that can be
adopted by NHS which assist this organisation to reduce spending on there inventory
management by keeping there budget in line to have more competitive strength and efficient
business operations. the use of Hospital supply management system lead to a more better
obtaining of resources, managing supplies, and delivering goods and services to providers and
patients which ensures and leads to more efficient supply chain management which also ensures
maintaining safety and quality of product. Apart from this, implementing and leading out an
effective hospital supply chain management system ensures and lead out to an automated
inventory management, automatic data capture, mobile access, and data storage which provides
and leads to finding of more better and analysis solution for supply managing issues to have
enhance competitive strength and advantage in business environment (Jayaraman., AlHammadi
and Simsekler., 2018).
Use of Asset Tags for Efficient Check-Out and Check-In of Medical Instruments- It is
also a vital technique that can be adopted by a health care orgnisation like NHS to overcome the
issue of loss and theft of medical equipment along with ensuring more effective security check
and quality. An analysis can be made out that use of techniques to assign proper asset tags to
labels all equipments and medicines with barcodes featuring unique identification numbers for
each item would ensures a better check and control over movement of each through tracking
individual pieces of equipment virtually within a healthcare sector to overcome issue of theft and
security. Beside this, it also ensures and leads out to reduce inventory costs and increase staff
efficiency and productivity by streamlining the check-out and check-in process which brings
safety and quality within healthcare orgnisation along with taking care for competitive
advantages (Mathur and et. al, 2018).
Regular audit of inventory along with lean strategy- The another vital step that can be
taken by a health care organisation to ensure effective supply chain management along with
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meeting safety and quality of products comprises of having effective and regular audit of
inventory which ensures better check and control over the inventory. Further, implication of lean
strategy also ensures and leads to reduction of overall wastage of resources in supply chain
management which helps in taking more competitive strength.
Stay current with technology- The anther vital step that can be adopted to maintain high
quality and safety of products comprises of presenting better technological changes which
paramount and flourish an industry through setting effective balance with latest and more
efficient use of technology (Moktadir and et. al, 2020). Many new and efficient inventory
management software are available that can be used and adopted by NHS which support and
helps in managing stock like use of scanners and POS systems that helps in keeping inventory in
track along with prioritizing safety and quality of product along with overcoming the issue of
inaccurate inventory counts which ensures enhanced competitive strength in business
environment.
Methodology and data collection
This section forms a vital part of every research work which provides and facilitates
information about the expected and proposed research methodology that is being used by a
researcher to perform a research work. Implication of research onion model is made for current
investigation to ensure selection of proper research method for current investigation a description
and justification of which is provided as follows:
Figure 1: Research onion, 2020.
Research Philosophy
8

It majorly deals with the source or in nature prevails along with development of
generating knowledge. In another ways that it circulate belief which is create data evolution and
gathering to utilise in research aims and objectives. It contains two important type of research
philosophy:
 Positivism: As per this approach it defines about that it is having limited data collection
in research aspect. It stats to collection data which is genuine or contains some sort of
knowledge that prevents better outcomes as well as natural phenomenon along with their
poverty. It also depends upon quantitative assumptions which support to leads towards
statistical analysis. Furthermore, positivism studies allow to predicts data with n
provision towards for human interest that better gain high profitability as outcomes better
study analysis (Moktadir and et. al, 2020).
 Interprvistism: This philosophy is derives the involvement of researcher where they
evaluate for interpret study on some other data analysis. It highlight to scrutinize data for
multiple assumptions that method in order to reflect different aspects to reduces issues.
For this type of studies it merge meaning for multiple towards getting attain satisfactory
outcomes.
As per above two research philosophy researcher is selected Interprivism because as all data
is collected from other sources as well as interpret enhance on multiple assumption that
generates various form of issues evaluated. While, to not consider about positivism that
creates outcomes in statistical way.
Research Approach:
This is framework of planning or procedure which depicts certain steps that evaluate set
of assumption for detailed method for better data collection for analysis, interpretation. Through
essential divided through having two categories that having sort of approach that commence
better data collection as well as approach to differentiate analysis in detailed format. It involves
two major approaches:
 Deductive: It is factor where the reasoning which is better complies to scrutinize data
collection in more specific format. Deductive as it assists towards hypothesis criteria
where information related with data is well generate to better prevails high outcomes.
Meanwhile, it mainly consider to opted in research when primary data involves to play as
9

important role for gathering base information effectively • (Nartey, Aboagye-Otchere
and Simpson , 2020).
 Inductive: It is refers towards about reasoning and different set of assumption that begins
with effective way of observation along with theories that are propounded where it get to
ends of the research criteria. As it opted in research when secondar base of data is get
evaluate and evaluate data information in effective manner to gaining high outcomes.
Through above research approach researcher is selected Inductive approach as because to
focusing for evaluating data in secondary format and this approach helps to provide information
data related in observation manner, while deductive approach is use at research need primary
data information.
Research strategy- This section of research methodology facilitates and provides a
detailed base and framework for conducting and leading out a research work which is of many
types and comprises of set of many research tool for better collection of data. The main form of
research strategy comprises of action research, experiments, survey, observation and many more.
From these research strategy use and implication of survey strategy is made which is mainly
based and dependent on the analysis of possible case studies available in form of secondary data
(Papanagnou, and Shchaveleva, 2018).
Choices of method- There are two vital set or form of resrch method out of which
choices and selection of which is made by researcher as per the nature of research. A discussion
about these two form of research method is provided as below:
 Quantitative research method- This form of research method is based on objective or
numeric form of data that facilitates and provides more effective data collection and
better presentation of facts through making use of statistical data and tables.
 Qualitative research method- this method of research is associated with an in-depth and
theoretical form of analysis based on nature and behaviour of human behaviour.
Out of these two form of research method, use and implication of qualitative nature of
research method is made for current investigation as it facilitates and ensures better analysis of
theoretical information to evaluate about the major issues faced while management of supply
chain (Roscoe and et. al., 2020).Apart from this, an in-depth information also facilitates and
ensures better analysis of information to meet set objectives and provide better recommendation
for meeting set objectives.
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Data collection and analysis- There are two main sources and origin from where collection
of data is made which comprises of primary and secondary sources of data collection. A
discussion of which is provided as follows:
 Primary data - The collection of primary data comprises of gathering first hand
information directly from the respondents which facilitates most authentic and first hand
data.
 Secondary data- It is based on collection and gathering of information from pre-collected
data recorded and available in form of books, journals, articles, documents, etc.
With respect to current investigation use of secondary sources of data collection is made
as facilities most easy and efficient way of data collection from pre-existing resources and
sources of information. Apart from this, availability of abundant data in most cost and time
effective way is also facilitated by secondary sources of data that is collected from library,
eBooks, articles, documents, past records, etc (SANCHEZ-GRAELLS, 2019). With respect to
current investigation on NHS supply the collection of secondary data is made from the online
article and journals, a systematic and effective analysis of which is provided in literature review
section along with under the hand of results and findings. Selection of most recent and authentic
form of sources are made which com[rises proper copyright and valid information related with
selected topic to maintain the authenticity and viability of current research project.
Scope and limitation
The scope of current investigation comprises of analysis of better management ways,
management strategies and security tools regarding the supply chain. It is important and viable
for an organisation to have efficient management of its inventory and stock that is base and
lifeline for any health care orgnisation. Apart from this, the wide scope of current investigation
also comprises of analysis and identifying of tools for maintaining safety and quality of
inventory for taking competitive advantages.
The main limitation of current assignment comprises of lack of sufficient time as well as
issue of availability of suitable resources. Therefore, use of secondary sources of information is
made to maintain the time and cost efficiency of research project along with better unitisation of
limited resources.
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Results/Findings
As per the finding of above research is well executed where the data research information
is effective way to scrutinize estimated on basis of outcomes that generates through assessment
through various method and approaches involves such as Interpretivism, inductive approach that
all commence towards begin for better evaluating secondary data. For National health
service(NHS) their supply chain management is operated through managers and its impact on
employees in rational basis. Some of outcomes generates in number of criteria in productivity
and utilisation of proper resources in NHS at the time of procure health basis product and
services in different manner (Viegas and et. al, 2019). During at research commencing there is
some valuable information which gathered that Supply chain management is very important for
organisation specially for NHS where it makes all activities in flexible way and smoothness to
brining up more productive and positive outcomes generates in effective manner. The major
impact get in workforce productivity where they easily assort supply chain management that
emphasis better working arrangement and increase working mobility to attain high outcomes.
Basically National Health Service follow their own supply chain structure which is refers as
Supply Chain Coordination Limitation(SCCL) is a company that works under NHS system. They
mainly tale cares about overall stocks and inventory that enhance processing during distribute
product and service in different way. This company is owns by Secretory of state to holding up
the function towards better circulation for maintain major function about working NHS supply
chain perspective. In below there is some figures that elaborate how National Health Service
supply chain function of SCCL activate in handling overall working aspect (Wang, and Ran.,
2018).
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Figure 2: Pricing structure of NHS supply chain structure, 2018
Source: An Introduction NHS Supply Chain - ppt video online download (slideplayer.com)
The pricing strategy that implement by National health Service management team as well
as operation department at the time of new resources along with more volume, along with better
strategy to making people expectation raises through providing service as it working on two
aspect that is Trust1 which explain that high volume or commitment that needed to scrutinize by
availability for better attaining positive outcomes that raise more benchmark of supply chain
management. Trust 2. That reflect about moderate volume and commitment to which f supply are
13

getting in insufficient manner then it hard to overcame from it as well as making resource
unproductive sense to recover all suppliers in better way. Last stage is Trust 3. This can makes
towards crises or shortage of resources can decrease the supply chain management in most
difficult manner to not gain positive aspect of outcomes in systematic presented way (Wang,
2018).
At in conclusion it show that major effective changes applies by facing so many
challenges to not better recover the shortage of funds and proper estimation of working aspect
for better recover to accomplish objectives. But due to shortage of raw material National Health
Service of supply chain management to not mobilise their activities in proper manner.
14

Figure 3: Structure of NHS Supply chian SCCL, 2018
Source: Structure and organisation of NHS commissioning and
procurement circa... | Download Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net)
As per Figure 2., Though making arrangement by National health Service
company for their each department which is shown into above figure that better allows in
production and logistic system to mobilise better working attainment outcomes for better recover
highlight (Zhou and et. al, 2018). As te department which are distributed:
15

 Production department.
 Financial department.
 Logistic and Supply Chain Department.
 Supply chain control
 Resource management.
All these department is activate by the company that NHS is enhance to control for
compliances manner for better management as it all under in Supply chain management that
monitor and seeking each and every department working in better guidelines. Providing
resources and technologies terms is responsibility under SCCL of National health Service that
creates effective range of better working compliance through which it emphasis about major
working factor productivity, efficiency and to training workforce for increase their expertise that
helps to make their working process used in effective way (Allden and et. al., 2018). There is one
department on which supply chain get to manage all their activities in better format through
mapping their working activities through mobilise all financial aspects through National Health
finance department which is needed to get implemented overall working activities that under
through Resource management that allows all type of resource recommend which is needed to
high highlight un better way to execute that effectively enhance optimum and valuable resource
that objective better attainment of objectivity get accomplish in better format. National health
Service company management team making sure about their working objective must clear and
commence through employees contribution is dependent to better attain overall positive
outcomes. Some of security and health aspect is also consider by the National health service
management team where they allows procure better medical facilities that would effectively help
through recover their pandemic issues effectively (Arifoğlu and Tang, 2020).
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Figure 4: NHS Covid prepaprtion Structre, 2017
Source: How poor planning left the UK without enough PPE | Free to
read | Financial Times.
In above figure 2. This si format win which during Covid-19 National Health Service faces
many challenges to how to control crises of virus and negative results creates pressure to so
many instant deaths. Some of dates is showing that how National Health service ensure that they
need to taken precaution which is essential to reduce the illness and death rates which was
increasing in month of May to August. As per guideline of WHO they ensures that Mask and
some sanitize medicine need to use to the people that essential for making their health
improvising wih better development (Chintanapunt and Pichyangkura, 2020). In United
Kingdom people were facing huge crises in terms of GDP financial in fact whole world was into
huge challenging to not recovering their health facility that enhance to positive outcomes could
generates. Through all this National health service SCCL system were actively working which is
17

measure through supply chain management that majorly occurs for better management source
that allows positive traits of factor to emphasis high rate of survival. To major control the
Covid-19 situation supply chain plays an important role in National Health service which is
make their team ready to pushing themselves for acquiring better arrangement of resources
which commence to uplifted their service by proving free medicines and mask to people that
raises some sort of objective attainment (Clauson and et. al., 2018).
Figure 5: Supply chain Management of NHS people, 2017.
Source: eWorld - NHSSC Presentation Sept 2008 v2 (slideshare.net).
In figure 4, National Health Service is allowing better facilities in which they undertakes
huge concerned towards their people who visits and through effective supply chain management
as the challenges which is reflecting that NHS need o recruited many other manpower as because
high rate of aligned business which is better commercialisation but due to conflict in culture
there is wide range of targeting to flexible business require to enhance. For that management
team of national health service is must commence to provide effective role of training and
18

development that improvise in better format to prevailing systematic skills and knowledge that
helps to generate high rate of positive outcome. Furthermore, the outcomes which is evaluating
on the basis of business operation getting better mobility of outcomes generates through proper
compliance implemented (Dey and et. al., 2019). Through provide better clear about objectives
and having goals to effectively for attaining better major issues to reduce or improvised like
manpower efficiency, optimum utilisation of resources, clear all doubts of clients or people who
are involve in National health services.
Figure 6: Supply Chain Management Challenges, 2019.
Source: IoT is redefining supply chain management - IoT Now Transport
In Figure 5, the above graphical representation of Supply chain management which is better
considering about challenges which faces by organisation during to manage their own supply
chain function in effective way (Duque-Uribe, Sarache and Gutiérrez, 2019). As same situation
19

appears in National Health service where they have to bear high expenses involvement that
occurs high rate of raw material operates that brings better systematic process. There is high
quality visibility of all practises that controls all working regulation that implement by SCCL of
National Health services. The main challenges which national health facing is to highlight about
to making new supply chain process NHS need to hire more manpower, technologies and other
sourcing of operation working aspect which is essential along with they play an important role
to enhance better role to execute flexible management environment. Therefore, the planning to
design by NHS management team has faces high expense or investment role that creates more
uncertain raises for not having expected profitability.
For making all research finding base on secondary base that react on better working aspect
to flow to undertaking the facts and physical evidence towards National Health service which
needed to procure high resources that provides better objective to recover in high positive results
get optimise in proficient way (Elkhechafi and et. al., 2018). At last all figures and graphs are
collected through secondary data format as it scrutinize on websites that mentioned with their
link to optimise functions of National health service working, production, supply chain
challenges etc.
Analysis and evaluation of research Findings
In measuring overall findings to collected and creates a better format for interpret overall
data collection in effective source format which incurred high positive outcomes that enhance
better source of National Health service company base. By evaluate all data are procure in
secondary base criteria that involves high facts and findings starting from research philosophy
where to construct in detail about Positivism and Interprivism in which Interpretivism getting
involves as it because it base on qualitative data to elaborate in multiple assumptions. After that
to coming up in Research Approach that enhance better outcomes related with consider Inductive
approach that overall describe the research on evaluate through secondary data analysis which is
consider to getting valuable result as all information is getting generates through another factor
of source which allows different phase of making positive alternative to scrutinize relatable
research objective information for positive outcomes generates. Meanwhile, basis on observation
it reflect about better working option to get evaluate importance, benefits and challenges of
supply chain management that need through get improvised in context of resources which
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provide by administrative and other source of positive influence which is needed to get evaluate
in different alternative or situation that working on major requirement which help to get positive
regulation that commence through various on better working in systematic process. By
considering all figures and graphs to gaining more details information about how National health
Service company can better control supply chain management. To compliance divided working
department that to effectively commence flow of working operation to regulate in different ways
to positively managing all activities in different situation arise. There is situation is describe
about disaster floe decreasing of working mobility through coming up of Covid-19 crises by
managing to provide service heath care towards people facing challenging that allows more
barriers. Then human resource and management team of National Health service company makes
their format where they effectively follows their working instruction that positive commence
better and systematic culture to making positive influence. NHS is having their own SCCL
supply chain management that effectively working on better flow through generating better
working process to provide health facilities towards their people.
As United Kingdom is faces huge problem and issues to generates optimum health
service products and service that allotted by National Health Service management towards gain
high positive feasible results. For making all arrangement through measure by Supply chain
management that seeking for better favourable result. Many other challenges to explain that
makes the valid point to better control the overall negative aspect that creates more working
validity. Due to shortage of resources and other ways like manpower and technologies is
undertakes by Human resource management of national Health service that commence to filled
up all requirement that needed to fulfil their management development. Training and
Development, performance appraisal is play essential role that creates format of employees who
are unaware and not having proper skills to approach services. By considering overall activities
of external which shows that 50% of national Health service is depend upon supply chain
management that effectively making sure about productive services equipment related with
health care must undertakes by approaching in productive valuable way to overcame through
negative barriers. Different sort of challenges in 2018 supply chain management of National
Health Service faces in terms of expenses incurred due to high productive measure that need to
overcame which is effectively approach high optimum valuation that need to sustain in better
working regulation. NHS has establish new health services in which that situation their
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management team need to procure estimate their pricing strategy to establish new business
design through proper design of cost and production, manpower, resources and other expense
incurred to creates systematic positive outcomes. Further more other figure which is measure that
intake high profitability raises through considering people to attain high challenging roles to
overcame to procure all facilities. The overall business practises get to enhance through
managing considered by all department that needed to fulfilled through providing all essential
basis of valuable sources and requirement of product and department that ensure all activity get
to accomplish in better way to execute to scrutinize all working function generates better
outcomes to factorise better way to accomplish all challenging working profits. At last the
importance of Supply chain management is effectively operates that enhance to seeking lack or
where it highlight scope of allowing high facilities of resource attainment that optimise positive
outcomes.
Conclusion
On the basis of above assignment a conclusion can be made out that effective management
of supply chain is important and vital for all organisation as it keeps and maintain a proper and
smooth flow of all products and services without any form and kind of unexpected disasters in
running of business organisation. Further, it can also be summarised that effective management
of inventory is important and vital to efficiently meet the inventory goals through keeping a
proper balance in supply and demand of medicine and other medical equipments. Further,
managing recalls and reduce expiration of medicine along with alignment with sales projection
and better analytics based decisions are also the key benefits of effective management of supply
chain.
Further, an analysis can be made out that maintaining safety and quality of inventory along
with issues of shortage and overstock of pharmaceutical is also indentified as main challenge
faced by a supply chain manager along with the issues of Loss or theft of surgical equipments
and other Pharmaceuticals and Tracking Expiry dates. Further, it has been also observed that
Overcoming Unforeseen delays, Evaluating needs of fast changing market and Effective
supplier’s relationship are taken as viable strategies to maintain the effectiveness of managing
suppliers. At last, a conclusion can also be made that Implementing a Hospital Supply
Management System, Use of Asset Tags for Efficient Check-Out and Check-In of Medical
Instruments, Regular audit of inventory along with lean strategy and Stay current with
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technology are effective tools for maintaining safety and quality for taking competitive
advantages within a business environment.
Recommendation
Following recommendation can be made out for NHS to have a more efficient supply chain
management which overcome all possible issues faced by a supply Chain Manager along with
maintaining quality and safety for having competitive advantage:
Use of latest inventory management technology- The first and foremost recommendation
that can be made for NHS comprises of use of latest set of inventory management technology
which ensures and provide a more automated and efficient system for inventory management. An
analysis can be made out that use of inventory management system like Trade, Gecko, Odoo,
Fishbowl, stitch, etc, provides a more effective Hospital Supply Management System for NHS to
have better integration option and track it records to manage an organised channel for better
supply chain management which also overcome the issue of shortage and overstocking of
product and supply along with facilitating high competitive strength by the way of automated
and improved business operations.
Using asset tags- This strategy is recommended for NHS to overcome the issue of lost and
theft of medical equipments and other sets through assigning proper tags and labels for all
equipments and medicines with barcodes featuring unique identification which saves guards
them from theft and lost. Apart from thus, proper labelling of product also ensures and keep a
track on expiry dates of medicines which ensures overcoming from the issue of wastage and
expiration of mediating also leads to maintaining better safety and quality of medical product.
Maintaining effective supplier’s relationship- This recommendation is vital and important
for NHS as it lead to better coordination with business partners and supplier to overcome and
meet threat and challenges. Apart from thus, a mutual understanding and harmony with suppliers
also helps in reducing the chances and issues of shortage and overstocking of product through
ensuring and leading out a smooth and timely supply form the suppliers on basis of demand.
Further, proper relation and harmony with suppliers also improve the brand reputation through
enhancing the trust and commitment level of customers and other investors thus, also offer
improved competitive strength for NHS along with maintaining safety and quality of its product.
Qualified personnel- Maintain a competent workforces and skills manpower is also highly
recommended for NHS as it is essential and vital for a better management of supply chain as it
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ensures higher level of efficiency and improvement within a supply chain network. It is vital and
important to ensure that the personnel hired in medical and health care industry must possess a
true and better understanding about their duties and responsibilities to enhance the effectiveness
of managing supplier and most affordable solution for all challenges and issues faced while
managing inventory to met the highest level of effectiveness and set standards.
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