University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) has established the following guidance notes to assist your company representatives when visiting the Trust.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust's suppliers, we ask that the guidelines below are adhered to. Contravention to the guidelines could impair the status of your company as an acceptable supplier to the Trust.

Visits

All company representatives must register their name and company with the Procurement Department before making contact with any member of staff in the Trust. You can download a company representative request form below.

Once you have completed the form please email it to the Procurement Department.

Representatives are required to make an appointment with the member of staff they wish to meet in advance of their visit if the request is approved. Staff have the right to refuse to meet company representatives who do not have an appointment.

While on Trust property, representatives must wear an identification badge at all times and conduct themselves in a businesslike manner at all times. You must also be aware of the Health and Safety at Work Act and representatives will need to take instruction from Trust staff for specialist areas.

Service/maintenance engineers

Service engineers are required to report to the head of the department (or a nominated department representative) where the equipment is located to obtain their signature on completion of the work.

Technical representatives may need a permit to work, this can be obtained from Belfour Beatty Workplace or the Medical Engineers departments.

Purchase orders

Commitment to purchase goods and services is only entered into by the raising of an official Trust purchase order. Representatives must not accept any instruction to deliver / provide their services unless a purchase order number is issued. The Trust will not be liable for goods and services delivered where no purchase order has been placed.

Agreements

No commercial agreement may be entered into unless it has been approved by the Procurement Department. 

Samples

Samples of consumables and clinical products must not be left with wards/departments. Trials of equipment and consumables will only be agreed as part of a formal procurement evaluation. Trials will be conducted in full compliance with the Trust trialling policy.

The Product Evaluation Group will be fully involved in prioritising product trials. Unauthorised distribution and use of samples could contravene scheduled treatment and prove harmful to patient care.

Liability

The Trust will not be liable for any Supplier property left on hospital premises.

Loaning, borrowing and trialling of medical equipment

Representatives are expected to be fully aware of the Trust's policy on loaning, borrowing and trialling of medical equipment. 

Infection control

Representatives must be aware that all personnel who visit clinical areas have the potential to introduce and transmit micro-organisms. With all equipment, there is a risk if adequate cleaning and decontamination is not carried out. Organisms can be transmitted not only from one patient to another, but from one hospital to another. 

The infectious status of patients is not always realised, therefore all patients should be treated as possible infection risks. Frequent hand washing and decontamination of demonstration equipment must be a priority.

Gifts and promotional material

Inexpensive gifts such as pens, pads and diaries that are relevant to work, may be offered or given to Trust staff. Unsolicited mail, leaflets and posters may not be distributed or displayed in clinical areas unless approved by the head of the department.

Commercial sponsorship

Educational sponsorship for Trust staff to attend courses or conferences will only be allowed when the course or conference is part of an educational/training scheme and has been approved by a staff member's senior manager. Any travel and/or accommodation expenses offered will only be accepted if approved by the staff member's senior manager.

Visits to suppliers in connection with any proposed purchase/contract, will be paid for by the Trust. Any offers to cover the expenses must be approved in writing by the staff member's senior manager and recorded in the Trust's declaration of Interest file.

Department of Health guidelines on gifts and sponsorship are available below.