Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) has been awarded £2.2 million from the Department of Health to introduce new standards into healthcare that will improve patient safety as well as finances.

The trust is one of six demonstrator sites who are pioneering GS1 and PEPPOL (Pan European Public Procurement Online) standards in the NHS. In simple terms, this is using scan technology for products, people and places to deliver safer and more efficient healthcare.

For example, specific products will be tracked to individual patients and clinicians to quickly identify the treatments provided or required - ranging from medicines to implants. The bar codes will also help NHS staff track how much a product is being used and by whom to help with stock ordering and the effectiveness of particular products.

The GS1 and PEPPOL standards have been used in retail and international healthcare for many years and Lord Carter’s recent report recognised that these standards are a vital part of the collaboration needed across NHS trusts, and their suppliers, to build an effective system for looking after their supply chain, their inventory and their patients. Overall, Lord Carter estimates that hospitals across England could save an estimated £5bn by reducing unwarranted variations through changes such as the implementation of GS1 standards.

RCHT chief pharmacist and clinical lead for the trust’s eHealth programme, Iain Davidson, said: “It is great to be at the forefront of innovation in the NHS and at Royal Cornwall Hospitals we want to be leading the way in patient safety as well as spending our money more effectively. With medicines and devices there are huge benefits to linking these products to specific patients, clinicians and locations to help better manage product recalls, stock holdings and purchasing.

“The potential safety and efficiency benefits for the NHS in using GS1 and PEPPOL standards are well evidenced in other sectors and will be significant whether you are a surgeon, a pharmacist or a caterer. We are delighted that Royal Cornwall Hospitals has been awarded £2.2 million to be an early adopter and look forward to sharing our progress with other NHS organisations.”

Sarah Newton MP for Truro and Falmouth, said: “All the local MPs supported the trust’s bid and it is great that Cornwall is going to be at the forefront of innovation in the NHS. I know the Department of Health and partner NHS organisations are going to work with the trust to ensure the local community gets the maximum benefit from this project.”