Which Courier Company do we use and why do we use them?
We currently use TNT as our prime courier.They were chosen after a full tender process on the basis of the level of service offered, quality systems in place, cost, capability of working with the NBS, provision of a customer complaints system and their acceptance of NHS terms and conditions.
All TNT Couriers carry a "Z Card" and an Identity Card. Please see 3 slides showing details of the information contained in the "Z Card" and an example Identity Card by clicking on this link.
The contract is managed both locally and nationally and is reviewed on a regular basis. The major review areas are achievement of required defined service levels, number of complaints and how they have been rectified.
Each local NBS centre has review meetings with TNT on at least a bi-monthly basis and records minutes of the meeting. At a national level, senior managers from the NBS and TNT meet once every two months to review the national progress of the contract.
TNT have a national NBS account manager whose role it is to manage the account on a day to day basis and he attends all review meetings and deals with the NBS transport senior management team on a daily basis on a wide variety of issues. This approach is preferred by the NBS as it gives them a champion within TNT who has no other responsibilities to any other TNT customers and he develops a key relationship with NBS staff.
In order to review the service given, TNT produce weekly service figures on the number of ´on time´ collections from NBS sites and the number of ´on time´ deliveries to hospitals. The number and type of complaints raised are also provided and it is from these figures that review meetings progress the changes required to ensure that service levels are met.
We also involve TNT in the early stages of any changes within the NBS which may impact upon them as this allows them to feel part of the process and not feel that a change has been placed upon them at the last minute with no consultation.
Because of this approach both parties work within an open commercial partnership and this makes it easier to approach and rectify some issues which can be difficult in normal commercial relationships regarding costs and service.
The complaints system that the NBS uses ties in with other internal systems such as Clientele (the hospital complaints/compliments system) and allows complaints to be channelled from various sources into a single format which makes it easier for TNT to respond rather than having to work with several different systems. Each complaint is acknowledged with 1 working hour and a reply is produced within 2 working days. Any that require changes to process are agreed with a cut off point for rectification of the process.
We also audit TNT drivers, vehicles and depots for adherence to the SLA requirement. These audits take place at least once per year at every NBS centre.
The NBS uses other couriers either as a back up to TNT or for more specialised movements such as transfer of Stem Cells or Bone Marrow on behalf of the British Bone Marrow Registry this includes international movements. All companies work to similar service levels as those in operation with TNT.
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