The meeting covered the New NHS SC Operating Model, New Procurement Regulations, Credentialling and DCB0129 was held in the morning prior to our winter Sustainability seminar.
We were delighted to welcome Beth Louden from Akeso & Co to give us an update on NHS Supply Chain and Category Tower 8 and the Operating Model Update. More information will be available after the NHS Supplier Board which will be held today. (16th December)
Alice Dixon also came to present an update on the new Pathology Framework which is due to be issued in January.
There is a lot of work ongoing in the background on credentialing, and appointment systems. The challenges over the years include the fact that there is no NHS mandate, no leadership ownership, the intent has been lost over time, there is confusion between Credentialling and Appointment systems and there is no Trust governance or guidance. In addition to this, it is costly, has Data protection concerns, appears to be payment for access and its not applied universally and doesn’t affect all companies.
In principle, Professional Accredited Registration (‘Credentialing’) is supported by BIVDA, but the use of appointment systems increases risk and delay in services and incurs un-necessary cost for suppliers.
BIVDA’s industry position statement is below;
Company representatives who are attending hospital sites or laboratories to perform their contractual obligations and/or are invited and expected; must be able to access the laboratory at appropriate times and any specific credentialing requirements should be notified to suppliers when invited or included in the contractual terms and conditions at the point of tender.
Companies will comply with any legal or appropriate requirement to access an NHS site, for example evidence of vaccinations, evidence of a negative lateral flow test for SARS-COV2 or DBS checks at the level appropriate for the role being performed and the risk to vulnerable patients.
BIVDA expects the particular criteria set and any evidence requested to be equivalent to the levels required by staff working in the same areas that BIVDA members are likely to attend. This will be equal to other non-qualifying roles within NHS Employers guidance.
The levels of evidence equivalent to NHS employees in similar roles will be provided via registration with the LSI register which has been accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) and is run by the Academy for Healthcare Science on a not-for-profit basis.
With the work that is being undertaken by LSI, it is recommended that the following is undertaken by BIVDA and our members.
BIVDA Members should register with LSI, and BIVDA and LSI will work with LSI on displacing appointment systems. BIVDA will work with LSI and the centre on adopting LSI only across the NHS. BIVDA members should work with LSI to get in house training accredited, and BIVDA members who are working with patients or vulnerable people – should get a standard DBS.
There was a session on the fundamental elements of the Procurement Regulations that are expected to be implemented in early 2023. This is likely to be the summer due to the commitment of a 6m period of adjustment by the Cabinet Office. The presentation can be found here.
And finally, BIVDA has sought clarification from NHS Digital about the application of DCB0129. NHS Digital have confirmed the following;
INDUSTRY ISSUE =
Some Customers, Suppliers, and some consultants have interpreted that every individual analyser in a solution needs a DCB0129 Risk Assessment.
NHS DIGITAL RESPONSE =
Individual analysers’ software does not need a DCB0129 assessment, only the middleware. Also further clarification, that if an analyser is not connected to middleware, but direct to LIMS analysers still don’t require it, only the LIMS and if no connectivity at all, then the analyser should.
Please contact Helen if you have any further query related to this.
