The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a new online platform for care providers to order free personal protective equipment (PPE) in England.
From 4 April, all customers will be automatically redirected to the new PPE portal from the previous site. The new platform will be managed by NHS Supply Chain.
The PPE portal will serve a range of health, care and public sector providers adult social care.
Last month, it was announced that following a public consultation, NHS trusts, primary care and adult social care providers will continue to receive Covid PPE free of charge until 31 March 2023 or until infection prevention and control guidance is withdrawn or significantly amended.
DHSC said the new platform cements the department’s commitment to continuous improvement of the service, including considerations around product offerings and who is eligible to use it.
“Some of the key benefits of the new platform are a more user-friendly site that makes it easier to place orders, view order limits and track deliveries, and, where needed, the capability for responding to and mitigating against evolving situations and potential future health crises,” it added.
Eligible users have been emailed about their transfer to the new platform and communication will continue over the coming weeks.
Those who have any questions regarding the migration can contact the customer services team on 0800 876 6802, which is available 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. Users can also raise queries directly through the new platform at https://www.ppe-portal.nhs.uk.
