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Social landlords seek to tackle PPE shortages
Social landlords across the UK are seeking suppliers of anti-infection protective gear following widespread shortages during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), which owns around 85,000 homes, is tendering for an urgent £40m contract framework to supply its staff with personal protective equipment (PPE) over four years.
The body said it has also been asked by Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities to secure PPE supplies for providers of Supporting People services “on an interim basis” as part of the framework.
PPE is required “to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and to ensure staff are able to provide essential public services,” according to the tender details.
It adds that estimated quantities of required equipment “could significantly increase or decrease” based on changes to government guidelines or the development of a vaccine.
National shortages of protective gear across sectors have marked the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Regulator of Social Housing’s first survey of how social landlords are coping with the pressures of COVID-19 found many – particularly those with care operations – still have fears over supplies.
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Meanwhile, Procurement Hub – a framework provider set up by giant housing association Places for People – has created a ‘dynamic purchasing system’ (DPS) for PPE.
It said the DPS will allow its members to order from suppliers directly from a “weekly matrix of available PPE” published on the Procurement Hub website.
To be accepted PPE suppliers must confirm their ability to deliver to Scotland, England and Wales, that they will update their stock status weekly, and that their products meet British and European standards.
“Our aim is to create a central point of contacts to assist our members in these uncertain times so there are no fees for this solution to either members or suppliers,” Procurement Hub said.
In Scotland, the Social Housing Resilience Group, convened by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to support the sector’s response to coronavirus, has set up a national PPE procurement framework for housing associations.
