Healthcare

East London NHS Foundation Trust

ELFT partnered with Amazon Business to transform its procurement process by consolidating suppliers and centralising purchasing.

Streamlining procurement with Amazon Business

The East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) provides primary care services to some of the most vulnerable people, including individuals who are homeless or face challenges accessing traditional mental health services.

With an annual spend exceeding £650 million, ELFT is committed to ensuring that every pound of taxpayer money is used effectively to deliver high-quality services to local communities.

The procurement puzzle

Before adopting Amazon Business, ELFT faced a chaotic procurement process. The trust relied on over 2,000 suppliers, creating inefficiencies and making it difficult to manage spending effectively.

Thomas Morgan, Associate Director of Contracts and Procurement at ELFT, described the situation as “wild west, chaotic,” with a lack of centralisation and visibility into purchasing patterns.

ELFT partnered with Amazon Business to transform its procurement process. By consolidating suppliers and centralising purchasing through a single platform, the trust reduced its supplier base to under 1,000, with plans to streamline further.

The implementation of Amazon Business introduced a blanket purchase order system, eliminating the need for multiple purchase orders and enabling staff to order essential items quickly and efficiently.

"With the Amazon Business dashboard, the data is there instantly. It’s seamless, easy to read, and helps us share insights with the CFO and board of directors.''

— Thomas Morgan, Associate Director of Contracts and Procurement, East London NHS Foundation Trust

The impact of Amazon Business on ELFT’s operations has been significant:

Centralised procurement: Amazon Business has streamlined purchasing across the trust, providing a single platform for ordering a wide range of products. Staff can now place orders seamlessly, with delivery times as fast as 24 to 48 hours.
Enhanced visibility: The Amazon Business dashboard offers real-time insights into spending patterns, top-purchased items, and policy compliance. Unlike traditional supplier reports, the dashboard provides up-to-date data that can be analysed daily, weekly, or year-to-date.
Curated product lists: ELFT has curated product lists tailored to its needs, ensuring that all items meet the trust’s standards and are fit for purpose.
Cost savings: By keeping a close eye on tail spend, ELFT has saved over £100,000 annually. These savings are reinvested into frontline services, further enhancing the quality of care provided to patients.

ELFT envisions an even greater role for Amazon Business in the future. Thomas Morgan believes that Amazon Business could evolve into a key logistics partner for the NHS, unlocking further efficiencies and benefits for trusts across the country.

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East London NHS Foundation Trust

Streamlining procurement with Amazon Business

The procurement puzzle

"With the Amazon Business dashboard, the data is there instantly. It’s seamless, easy to read, and helps us share insights with the CFO and board of directors.''

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