Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has carried out any research on the effect on (a) patient outcomes, (b) healing rates and (c) quality of life of the reduced choice of wound care products available via NHS Supply Chain.
NHS Supply Chain provides a wide range of products to meet the needs of clinicians and patients. NHS Supply Chain does not offer all products in a range, balancing the need for choice and diversity with the benefits of consistency and economies of scale.
As a wide variety of research into effectiveness of wound care products is conducted independently, the Department does not carry out such research. Experts involved in developing specifications include National Health Service clinicians, representatives of the tissue viability nurse community and the National Wound Care Strategy Programme. The specifications include a range of technical and usability factors which vary by product.
Clinicians can source products through alternative routes if required to meet specialist patient needs.