Unipart's Supply Chain Solutions Boosting Healthcare
Unipart's deep engagement in the healthcare sector aims to improve patient outcomes by providing resilient supply chain solutions that prioritise the needs of clinicians, patients and service users.
At the heart of Unipart's healthcare success is a unique approach called The Unipart Way, a system refined over 30 years to engage and empower employees in diagnosing problems and driving innovation.
When a central NHS Trust faced the challenge of transforming its culture while maintaining high standards of patient care, it turned to Unipart Consultancy for help.
Unipart conducted a thorough diagnostic assessment of the Trust, involving 350 employees at all levels, and identified critical areas for improvement, including:
- Skills transfer and capability building for Trust employees
- Leadership development and management training
- Optimising patient pathways for efficiency
- Redesigning the organisation structure for better performance
Significant achievements in healthcare efficiency
The implementation of a continuous improvement culture by Unipart yielded significant benefits for the NHS Trust, including:
- US$2.6m reduction in operating costs, primarily through shorter patient stays and better utilisation of operating theatres
- US$1.96m savings in payroll by reducing the need for temporary staff
- 27% reduction in patient stay lengths, improving care flow
- A notable increase in patient satisfaction to 94%
- Improved employee absentee rates, reflecting a healthier workplace environment.
The results highlight how Unipart's expertise in supply chain transformation can drive substantial improvements in healthcare operations, improving cost efficiency and patient outcomes.
Overcoming global supply chain challenges
Beyond healthcare, Unipart has demonstrated its capacity to navigate complex global supply chain disruptions.
In a recent interview with Supply Chain Digital, Unipart's CEO Darren Leigh detailed how the company had adapted to significant challenges, including Brexit, COVID-19, the Suez Canal blockage and the Ukraine conflict.
Darren explained that Unipart's history of reinvention has been crucial to overcoming these obstacles.
"We've had to adapt and respond to all of these challenges," Darren said. "What we've done is evolve our supply chain and operating model. We're now far more integrated and collaborative across the group, rather than working in silos."
Building resilient and sustainable supply chains
Unipart's evolution has seen it offer a broader and more aligned portfolio of products and services, focusing on creating resilient and sustainable supply chains for its customers.
Darren emphasised that the company has become leaner and financially more robust, allowing it to respond effectively to changing market conditions.
"We've evolved to offer a much broader, more aligned portfolio of products, services and solutions to help develop more efficient, resilient and sustainable supply chains for our customers," he said. "I'd also say we're much leaner and financially stronger than we have been for a long time."
The future of Unipart
With 50 years of experience under its belt, Unipart continues leading the way in supply chain innovation and performance improvement across industries.
As the company looks toward the future, its focus on sustainability, resilience and efficiency positions it as a key player in shaping the future of supply chains in healthcare and beyond.
Read the full interview here.
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