Where can I get medical supplies from?

The main types of supplier

What you need	Where it usually comes from
Diagnostic equipment, couches, consumables, dressings, PPE, sharps bins	General medical suppliers that serve primary care, such as Williams Medical, Healthcare Equipment & Supplies (HCE) and Medisave
Contraception and sexual health supplies, such as IUDs	Specialist distributors such as Durbin, as well as pharmaceutical wholesalers
Prescription-only medicines, emergency drugs, vaccines	Pharmaceutical wholesalers, such as AAH and Phoenix, or direct from the manufacturer for some products
Occasional medicines or a single vaccine	A local pharmacy, if it can supply your practice
Controlled drugs for practice stock	A pharmacy, on the standard controlled drug requisition form
Sample tubes, request forms, specimen bags and courier boxes	Your pathology laboratory. See pathology for private GPs.
Clinical waste bags, bins and sharps containers	Your clinical waste contractor. See dealing with medical waste.
Office equipment, stationery, cleaning products	Any business supplier

The names above are examples of suppliers that serve UK primary care, not recommendations. Compare prices and terms, and ask colleagues who they use.

Buying medicines and vaccines

Businesses that wholesale medicines in the UK need an MHRA wholesale dealer's licence and must comply with good distribution practice, which covers storage, transport and record keeping. Buy from licensed wholesalers or direct from manufacturers so you can rely on the supply chain, including the cold chain for vaccines.

When you open an account, the wholesaler will check that you are entitled to buy prescription-only medicines. Allow a few weeks before you open to set accounts up. For vaccines, see ordering private immunisations.

If you also work in an NHS practice, never take NHS stock for private patients. The Green Book says using centrally purchased NHS vaccines for private services may be considered fraudulent, and the same principle applies to other NHS-funded supplies.

Checking medical devices

In Great Britain, medical devices must be registered with the MHRA and carry a UKCA mark, or a CE mark that is still accepted under the transitional arrangements. Northern Ireland follows different rules. Reputable medical suppliers deal with this for you. Take more care with online marketplaces, where it can be hard to tell who the manufacturer is:

• check the device is marked and comes with instructions for use in English
• for blood pressure monitors and thermometers, choose a clinically validated model
• keep the documentation, because you will need the manufacturer's servicing and calibration instructions
• report faulty or unsafe devices through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

For what to buy in the first place, see equipment for private GPs.

Choosing suppliers

Price matters less than reliability. Before you commit, compare:

• delivery times and days, and whether they deliver to your address when you are there
• minimum order values and delivery charges
• how they handle shortages and substitutions
• returns and credit for damaged or short-dated goods
• account terms and whether invoices work with your bookkeeping.

Two suppliers for key items, such as gloves and emergency medicines, protect you against a shortage. Group purchasing through a larger clinic or network can lower prices if you share premises.

Managing stock

A new practice rarely needs much stock, and over-ordering leads to waste. A simple system works:

1. Keep a stock list of every item with a minimum level and a reorder quantity.
2. Name one person to order and receive stock, with cover for absence.
3. Check expiry dates when stock arrives and monthly after that, and use the shortest-dated items first.
4. Store medicines securely and at the right temperature, and keep vaccine stock to two to four weeks' supply, as the Green Book recommends.
5. Record batch numbers for medicines and vaccines you give, so you can act on a recall.
6. Dispose of expired medicines in the correct waste stream.

The CQC treats out-of-date consumables, such as needles, syringes and defibrillator pads, as seriously as out-of-date medicines, so include them in your checks.

Budgeting for supplies

Separate one-off equipment from running costs. Equipment is a start-up cost, while consumables, medicines replaced on expiry, servicing and calibration recur every year. Build both into your prices, and remember that if you are not VAT registered, the VAT you pay on supplies is a cost. See start-up costs.

Recalls and alerts

Make sure you receive National Patient Safety Alerts, MHRA medicine recalls and device safety information, so you hear about problems with products you hold. The CQC's GP guidance says practices need to be registered with the Central Alerting System and have a process, such as an alerts log, for acting on them. Your supplier may also contact you about recalls, but do not rely on that alone.