Caring for the future of your residents

As vaccinations continue to be administered across the UK, now is the time to turn your attention to planning for a post-COVID world. With the hope of reaching the finish line in due course, care must be taken to ensure your operation is streamlined, with cost at the forefront of your planning.

The good news is there’s light at the end of the tunnel and after the turbulence of 2020, residents and their families will be relying heavily on your services. However, 2021 won’t be without its challenges for the care home sector:

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES POST-COVID-19

1) Staff absenteeism

It is likely that throughout the pandemic, you have seen an increase in staff absenteeism through either illness or isolation. The psychological impact of COVID-19 on Care staff also remains to be seen. With agency staff costing on average up to 40% more than permanent staff, cost savings will need to come from elsewhere.

2) Inconsistency in occupancy rates

In the short-term, there’s likely to be reluctance from some residents and their families to move to a Care home for fear of being isolated from loved ones, but there is also the risk of maximum residency being reached as those who did not receive adequate care due to the pandemic, now need professional care. The risk is a bigger demand on supply of ingredients and non-food provision as well as increased pressure on staff with a high volume of sickness.

3) Ongoing demand for PPE

Even in a post-COVID world, PPE will remain in high demand. It is important your PPE sources are reliable and cost-efficient to support your operation and protect your home. Our expertise working across Care and NHS environments means we’ve been able to source PPE and other protective equipment at high volumes even during the largest peaks of the pandemic.

Many organisations in the Care Home sector are looking towards outsourcing their procurement. Of course, with change comes concern, but with a team of experts ready to spring into action and assist you with streamlining your supply chain, you don’t need to feel alone on your journey into the post-COVID world.

So, what exactly are the benefits of a partnership with Foodbuy?

1) Purchasing power

Leveraging over £1billion worth of annual spend, we are able to deliver cost savings straight to the bottom line. Our cost savings go further than food and beverages, with an extensive and far-reaching non-food portfolio providing you with access to savings on day-to-day necessities such as window cleaning, grounds maintenance, chemicals and sanitisation equipment.

2) Market leading systems

Time is money. Thanks to our market-leading and easy-to-integrate systems, we can reduce the cost impact of administrative time, allowing your staff to focus on delivering a fantastic residential experience. Plus, our three-way match module, built into our Procure to Pay (P2P) system, means you will only ever pay for what is received. It takes your purchase order, matches the quantities to your goods receipt, confirms the prices are correct and then automatically requests a credit from the supplier - if necessary.

John Graham, Finance Director Nazareth Care says: “We are absolutely delighted with Epsys. The initial stages of the rollout have been seamless and we’re looking forward to continuing to work closely with Foodbuy to develop and enhance our understanding of what we are purchasing – but more importantly, how we then use that data to better inform our decisions.” Discover more here >

3) The buying power of £1bn behind you, but still able to pick your favourite bakery

Unlike many other procurement organisations, we work with you to ensure your specific sourcing or purchasing requirements are met with the right rigour to ensure a competitive price. That means you can leverage our very best pricing on core, everyday items, but still pick your resident’s favourite local suppliers to maintain an outstanding guest experience.

We want to help

We care about your challenges and want to help you to manage your supply chain more efficiently, effectively and sustainably. Our people can play a vital role in shaping your approach to the post-COVID world, allowing you to be safe in the knowledge that your spend is under control.

To find out more about a partnership with Foodbuy, contact us here.