GovWire

Who can use the portal

ThePPEportal can be used by social care and primary care providers to get critical COVID-19 PPE.

Providers who can use the service will receive an email invitation to register.

NHS Supply Chain has partnered with Clipper Logistics, Unipart Logistics and distribution suppliers to develop this service.

The PPE portal can be used by:

• GPs
• residential social care providers
• domiciliary social care providers
• pharmacies
• dentists
• orthodontists
• optometrists
• childrens care homes and secure homes
• all special schools and special post-16 institutes
• community drug and alcohol services
• residential drug and alcohol services
• independent sector providers (ISPs) providing NHS services
• vaccination sites and vaccination centres
• hospices
• health and social care settings that were previously supplied via their local authority or local resilience forum (LRF) - more information for these settings can be found at PPE: local contacts for providers

If youre a provider in one of these categories, your invitation to register will be sent to your email address registered with your organisation. This email will be from ppeportal@supplychain.nhs.uk.

Information about childrens social care providers is supplied to NHS Supply Chain by the Department for Education.

Steps to getting free PPE

1. If you are eligible, youll receive an email invite to the PPE portal
2. Register with the email address the invite was sent to
3. Receive a link to confirm registration
4. Click on the link and create your password
5. Order your weekly COVID-19 PPE
6. PPE is delivered directly to the address supplied to us

When to use the portal

Eligible health and social care providers can use the portal to meet the extra need for PPE that has arisen as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

You should not use the portal to order PPE for non-COVID-19 requirements. You should get this through your normal channels.

Help with using the portal

If you need help with theportal you can get in touch using the contact form on the PPE portal. Theres a list of query categories to select from to help us route you through to the correct customer service department. We can help with the following:

• problems with registering
• problems with ordering
• if you believe you are eligible but have not been invited

Alternatively, you can call the customer service team on 0800 876 6802. The team is available from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

We may need to contact the Care Quality Commission (CQC), NHS Business Services Authority (BSA), NHS England or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to help resolve queries.

Delivery times and cost

PPE ordered from the portal is free of charge until 31 March 2024 or until the Department of Health and Social Cares (DHSC) stocks are depleted. Read further information about the extension and the scheme.

Orders will be delivered within 5 days.

Large orders of PPE are likely to be delivered on a pallet. If you are unable to receive an order via a pallet, please return to basket and reduce the size of your order to fewer than 80 items. Please note, pallet deliveries will be doorstep delivery and customers are responsible for offloading the items and taking them inside.

PPE standards

All PPE offered on the portal meets UK government quality standards.

You can find more information on PPE standards at Public Health Englands COVID-19 PPE hub and NHS guidance on supply and use of PPE and other supplies.

When to contact your local authority or local resilience forums

Some local authorities and LRFs are continuing to distribute PPE in their local areas. Your local authority or LRF will advise you on the specific approach being taken. You can find a list of contact details in the PPE: local contacts for providers guidance.

The following sectors can now also sign up to the PPE portal:

• a local authority service (including children and adult social care workers)
• mental health community care
• personal assistants (local authority, integrated care board commissioned, funded through personal health budgets and self-funded)
• direct payment recipient or individual employer
• domestic violence refuges
• rough sleeping services
• extra-resident unpaid carers (an unpaid carer who does not live with the individual they care for)
• an adult social care service that is not CQC registered (for example, supported living, extra care, shared lives)

If you are one of the above sectors and need access to PPE, please contact your local authority or LRF for further information. You can also contact the customer service team on 0800 876 6802.