Resilience in healthcare supply chains: a review of the UK’s response to the COVID19 pandemic

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this explorative research is to analyse the resilience of the United Kingdom's (UK) healthcare supply chains from a customer’s perspective in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.Design/methodology/approachUsing the capabilities of preparedness, robustness, recovery and adaptability as the foundational percept for supply chain resilience, 22 healthcare professionals in 17 of the UK's National Health Scheme (NHS) Trusts were interviewed to explore their personal and organisational approaches adopted relative to the provision of eye protection, gloves, gowns, aprons, masks and respirators. The Dynamic Capabilities View is mapped to the resilience capabilities and used to analyse the data from a transformational supply chain research perspective.FindingsThe supply chains were largely unprepared, which was not particularly surprising even though the availability of gloves was significantly better compared to the other personal protective equipment (PPE). Techniques adopted to ensure robustness and recovery revealed the use of unsanctioned methods such as extended use of PPE beyond recommended use, redefinition of guidelines, protocols and procedures by infection control and the use of expired PPE – all of which compromised customer well-being.Research limitations/implicationsAs the paper views resilience through the lens of customers, it does not provide the perspectives of the supply chain practitioners as to the reasons for the findings and the challenges within these supply chains.Practical implicationsThe compromise of the well-being of healthcare workers due to the vulnerabilities of healthcare supply chains is highlighted to managers and prescriptions for post-disruption adaptability are made.Originality/valueThis paper introduces transformative research to supply chain resilience research by uniquely looking at resilience from the customers' well-being perspective.

Hospital Supply Chain Management: Cross-Disciplinarity Opportunities in the Post-Pandemic Era and Research Agenda

“…Compared to other risks, the COVID-19 pandemic has displayed distinct characteristics such as unprecedented demand surges and supply shortages, increased volatility, and an unusually long duration (Ash et al, 2022;Friday et al, 2021;Zamiela et al, 2022). In the context of a pandemic, resilience-related studies and investigations suggest that the primary goal is to provide uninterrupted treatment and care to patients in the event of a disruption (Sawyerr and Harrison, 2022;Spieske et al, 2022). Spieske et al, (2022) identify that the most important enabling properties in the SC are flexibility, redundancy, collaboration, and visibility.…”

Modeling enablers of agility of healthcare organizations

“…It also denotes the accessibility to resources (such as financial, technical, materials and human resources) essential for supporting the strategic changes to protect the core competencies in the short term and building agility in the long run (Tallon and Pinsonneault, 2011). Cost-effectiveness (E7) : This enabler signifies the organizational ability to identify opportunities for the optimum allocation of healthcare resources to achieve patient outcomes and to redirect resources for better use (Sawyerr and Harrison, 2022). Especially during health crises when resources fell short due to an unprecedented rise in patient demands, optimal utilization of resources deem to be critical. Collaboration with healthcare partners (E8) : It refers to organisational efforts or practices to encourage collaboration among healthcare entities including the hospital and internal divisions/departments, pharmacists and hospital staff (Sherehiy et al ., 2007).…”

“…Traditionally, healthcare organizations are constrained by the availability of physical space which impedes workflow and patient care needs, particularly in health crises (McMenamin and Mannion, 2017; Vinodh et al ., 2012). The requirement of flexible healthcare setups is critical to adapt to constant technological, societal and epidemiological variations (Sawyerr and Harrison, 2022). Some of the emerging approaches to managing flexible healthcare setups include modular, replaceable and sustainable hospital facilities (buildings, equipment etc.…”

Guest Editorial: A purchasing and supply management view of supply resilience for better crisis response

“…In contrast, several other papers mention SR as part of SCR. In certain articles, SR is presented at a general level and/or treated as one of the SCR levels (e.g., Cohen et al, 2022 ; Phillips et al, 2022 ; Sawyerr and Harrison, 2022 ; Shishodia et al, 2021 ). In other cases, SR is considered (implicitly or explicitly) as one of the features of the supply network to explain other capabilities (e.g., Acar et al, 2022 ; Narassima et al, 2022 ; Spieske et al, 2022a ; Queiroz et al, 2022 ).…”