COVID-19 – NZ Health Partnerships

UPDATE for Suppliers

Friday 3 April 2020

NZ Health Partnerships (NZHP) will continue to provide Procurement and Supply Chain Services to the DHBs, as well as other essential business services.

As COVID-19 spreads globally, there may be disruptions to supply chains. NZHP is working closely with the Ministry of Health (the Ministry), District Health Boards (DHBs), laboratories, PHARMAC, MTANZ and suppliers on critical procurement and supply chain activities.

NZHP will continue to monitor the national stock levels and understand that our suppliers are doing all they can to ensure continuity of supply. 

NZHP has established a specialist taskforce to plan for Priority Items, including; ventilators, medical device equipment, laboratory consumables and equipment, and food supply chain under the Food Services Contract (FSA) for the following six DHBs: Auckland; Waitemata; Counties Manukau; Hauroa Tairawhiti; Nelson Marlborough; and, Southern.

We are also keeping DHBs updated to enable them to maintain appropriate stock levels across New Zealand.

CONTACTS

All DHBs and suppliers should email Procurement.Covid19@nzhealthpartnerships.co.nz with any questions or concerns around supply. Please see below for a summary of the projects that NZHP is leading sourcing activity for and \ the main contact is for each activity:

Project: Laboratory consumables and equipment, Hayley Greatwood

Project: Ventilators, Lane Felise

Project: Wilfrid Rodrigues

TRAVEL

NZHP is aware of concerns about employees being required to move around the country to provide an essential service relating to healthcare. Suppliers should contact the DHB Incident Management Teams if they require a letter for employees or provide their own letter for employees – that describe the services / function they perform – that can be provided to authorities if challenged. 

Keep updated with central Government advice on matters relating to Covid19 at www.covid19.govt.nz.

About NZ Health Partnerships

Working smarter, together is increasingly important in the health sector. Effective solutions – developed and shared between District Health Boards – are required to meet the rising demand for healthcare and cost of new clinical equipment.

Together we can make a difference. That’s why the country’s 20 DHBs created NZ Health Partnerships. Working with the DHBs, NZ Health Partnerships identifies and builds shared services for the benefit of the health sector. And by thinking, acting and investing collaboratively, DHBs can achieve greater benefits than they would by operating independently.

Led, supported and owned by the 20 DHBs, NZ Health Partnerships creates efficiencies in the health sector that allow more to be spent on frontline services.