DHL SUPPORTS THE NHS FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19

• Supply chains set up to kit-out Nightingale field hospitals in record time 
• Patient transport services providing transport to non-emergency COVID-patients and at-risk groups 
• Procurement teams sourcing essential medical equipment and consumables 

DHL Supply Chain is working alongside the NHS to deliver vital support services in the healthcare battle against COVID-19.  

The company has been drafted in to manage new supply chains which will support the build and running of the emergency Nightingale field hospitals across the country. 

The supply chain operation which would normally take up to 6 months to put in place, was up and running within two weeks, enabling the transformation of ExCeL London into a hospital in record time. 

To support the regional emergency hospitals, operations have been set-up in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, and Liverpool, where approximately 3,000 lines of key medical equipment and consumables will be received, stored, picked and delivered straight to the hospitals. In total the sites will handle over 20,000 pallets in the next two months. Patient Monitors and Ultrasound systems will be assembled on site with the support of manufacturer personnel allowing the equipment to be put into immediate use in current ICU departments or field hospitals.

DHL’s NHS procurement teams have also been supporting the sourcing of COVID-19 equipment and consumables for NHS Trust ICU’s and the Nightingale Field Hospital including Ventilators, Patient Monitoring, Vascular Ultrasound, Mobile X-Ray, Laryngoscopes and CT Scanners. Phased deliveries for the new equipment will run over next two months.

David Pierpoint, Managing Director UK, Life Sciences and Healthcare at DHL Supply Chain said: “This is a time when businesses need to get behind our National Health Service more than ever. Through the expertise and commitment of our teams and their drive to support frontline NHS workers and patients, we’ve helped get a new hospital open in a matter of days, alleviate pressure on the ambulance service and access much needed equipment.”

In addition to the work to support the field hospitals, DHL’s Patient Transport team are providing extra non-emergency ambulance services to patients diagnosed with COVID-19. For example those being cared for in the community with kidney disease, who are especially at risk, are being collected and taken for renal dialysis three times a week.