The NHS is the largest employer in the UK and one of the biggest public sector buyers in the world. It spends billions every year on everything from medical supplies and IT systems to catering, training, cleaning, consultancy and patient transport. And it doesn’t all go to large corporates
A significant portion of NHS contracting is actively accessible to SMEs, social enterprises, charities and under the Procurement Act 2023, public sector buyers including NHS trusts are required to have due regard to the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises. In short: they want to work with businesses like yours, and there are formal routes to make it happen. This guide explains how NHS procurement actually works, where contracts are advertised, which frameworks matter, and what you need to do to get in the room.
How NHS procurement is structured?
The NHS is not one organisation, it’s made up of hundreds of separate contracting bodies, each of which procures independently. These include:
- NHS trusts (acute hospitals)
- NHS foundation trusts
- Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) — which replaced Clinical
- Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in 2022
- NHS England (for national programmes)
- Community healthcare providers
- Mental health trusts
- Ambulance trusts
This matters for suppliers because it means there is no single route in. A contract with one NHS trust doesn’t automatically open doors at another. You need to approach NHS procurement strategically, targeting specific organisations and building a track record trust by trust.
NHS Supply Chain is the body responsible for providing the NHS with the products, services, and equipment it needs to deliver quality healthcare to patients. It acts as the intermediary between suppliers and NHS organizations, ensuring that the right products are available when required, at the right price, and in a way that complies with regulatory standards.
The NHS Supply Chain consists of several functions, including purchasing, distribution, and inventory management, designed to meet the diverse needs of NHS services. Whether it’s medical supplies like gloves, surgical instruments, or complex IT systems, NHS Supply Chain handles it all, aiming to reduce costs, streamline purchasing, and improve the overall efficiency of healthcare procurement.
NHS Supply Chain: what it is and who it’s for?
NHS Supply Chain is the national procurement body responsible for supplying NHS trusts with physical products, medical devices, consumables, PPE, surgical instruments and the like. If your business manufactures or distributes physical products for healthcare settings, NHS Supply Chain is the route to scale.
Getting onto NHS Supply Chain as an approved supplier involves passing quality and compliance assessments, working through their supplier portal, and meeting the regulatory standards required for your product category (CE marking, UKCA marking, MHRA registration where applicable).
However, most SMEs, charities and service businesses are not supplying physical products and for them, NHS Supply Chain is not the relevant route. If you provide services such as; IT, training, consultancy, care, transport, cleaning, estates, communications, you need to look at NHS procurement frameworks and individual trust tendering processes.
1. Find a Tender Services (FTS)
High value above public procurement threshold contract are advertised on (FTS Article link). All NHS trust are quired to advertise here. Â
2. Contracts Finder
For lower-value NHS contracts. Contracts Finder is useful for local service contracts with community trusts or smaller NHS bodies.
3. NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS)
A range of national frameworks across categories including professional services, HR, finance and estates are available through NHS SBS. Their e-Marketplace portal advertises call-off opportunities to approved suppliers..
4. Individual trust portalÂ
Many NHS trusts advertise contracts directly on their own websites and through third-party portals like Delta eSourcing, Jaggaer, or Proactis. Check the procurement pages of trusts in your target region.
What NHS buyers look for in a bid
NHS procurement officers are under pressure to demonstrate value for money, clinical safety, compliance and service continuity. Your bid needs to address all of these.
Clinical governance and quality assurance: even for non-clinical services, NHS trusts expect you to understand the clinical environment. Explain how your service will not disrupt patient care, how you manage risk, and what your quality management framework looks like.
Data security and IG compliance: the NHS takes data security extremely seriously. If your contract involves access to patient data or NHS systems, you will need to demonstrate compliance with NHS Data Security and Protection standards, and potentially complete a Data Security and Protection Toolkit assessment.
Relevant case studies: NHS buyers want to see that you have delivered similar work in a health or social care setting. If you don’t have NHS experience, public sector health-adjacent experience (a local authority’s public health team, a social care provider, a medical charity) is a useful substitute while you build your portfolio.
Continuity and resilience: what happens if your key person is unavailable? Who covers? NHS trusts need confidence that service delivery won’t be disrupted. Small businesses often lose marks here by not having a credible answer.
Sustainability and Ethical Practices: in recent years, the NHS has placed an increasing emphasis on sustainability and ethical procurement practices. This involves ensuring that the products and services purchased by the NHS are environmentally sustainable, and ethically sourced. Additionally, ensuring that suppliers adhere to ethical guidelines regarding fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmental stewardship.
Getting your your foot in the door without a big track record
If you’re new to NHS contracting, the path is: start small and local, build evidence, move up.
Practical options for building your first NHS reference:
Subcontract to a prime. Many larger consultancies and service companies working with the NHS use SME subcontractors. This gets your people working in NHS environments, gives you relevant experience, and sometimes leads to direct contracts once the trust knows your quality.
Volunteer sector engagement. Some NHS trusts have active partnerships with local charities and social enterprises. Engage with your local ICB’s voluntary sector liaison team, this can generate both paid opportunities and references.
Lower-value local contracts. Community trusts, mental health trusts and ambulance services often procure services locally at lower values with lighter requirements. These are good entry points.
Market engagement events. Many ICBs and NHS trusts run supplier days and market engagement events when large contracts are approaching. Attend these, make your capabilities known, and the procurement team will have you in mind when shaping the specification.
Challenges in Healthcare Procurement
While the NHS Supply Chain is highly effective, the procurement process faces several challenges:
Budget Constraints: The NHS operates under strict budgetary constraints, making it difficult to meet the rising demand for new treatments, technologies, and supplies without increasing costs.
Supply Chain Disruptions: Global supply chain disruptions, such as those caused by pandemics or geopolitical tensions, can affect the availability of critical medical supplies and equipment.
Regulatory Compliance: Navigating the complex regulatory landscape surrounding healthcare procurement requires careful attention to legal and ethical standards, particularly regarding patient safety.
Download our NHS Tender Application Guide, including a Data Security Policy template, an NHS bid checklist, and a case study writing framework, available in the UKTN resources shop
