Procurement Services colleagues celebrate success at prestigious HCSA awards

Congratulations to Regional Manager – Supply Chain, Logistics and Transport (North Wales), Rowena Thomas, and the Tackling Bed Poverty team, in partnership with Swansea Bay University Health Board Procurement colleagues, who celebrated success at the Health Care Supply Association (HCSA) National Procurement Awards.

The prestigious awards ceremony, held on 23 November in Manchester, celebrates excellence in Procurement and Supply chain departments across the four home nations, showcasing best practice and achievement in procurement management and governance.

Rowena won the Procurement Excellence award for her outstanding approach to her work, going above and beyond to support the delivery of the operational supply chain, logistics and transport service to the service users that include Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Powys Teaching Health Board and Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (North Wales), whilst looking to improve the service provided to the service users and ultimately supporting patient care and outcomes.

The Tackling Bed Poverty Team won in the category of Cross Functional Collaboration alongside Swansea Bay University Health Board. The Team and Health Board recognised that as part of the decommissioning of the Bay Field Hospital that there were approximately 600 surplus beds that were unsuitable for the acute or community health sector that would be ideal to donate to families and to those people in greatest need within the local community. A small working group was established that also consisted of representatives from both Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Council and Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Council Voluntary Services. The project gained recognition on a national level and has since been replicated on an All-Wales basis helping thousands more people whilst making a positive difference to the lives of many Swansea Bay residents facing adversity.

The individual and collective outcomes once again highlighting the hard work and dedication shown by NWSSP staff aligned with Shared Services organisational core values.

Assistant Director of Procurement – Supply Chain, Logistics and Transport, Graham Davies; “Once again, the Procurement and Health Courier Services Division has demonstrated that we are delivering excellent award-winning services for NHS Wales. It’s a great reflection on NWSSP as a whole, but also a great accolade for the individuals and teams who won awards.”

Tackling Bed Poverty Procurement lead Keir Warner, “This work showed what can be achieved when true collaboration happens. The result of this project provided a good outcome for the Health Board in terms of making use for beds that were no longer needed. More importantly, by thinking differently and engaging with the wider public sector in the region we have improved the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society. I am incredibly proud to have worked with Amanda Davies and the team on this.”