Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what the specific quality standards are for continence products supplied for home use under the national procurement framework, and what the cost-differential is per unit between products supplied in acute hospital settings compared with those provided to patients in the community.
Products listed in the current National Procurement framework meet the ISO11948-1 Rothwell Absorption Capacity for Incontinence Pads.
Products to acute settings are fulfilled via the NSS National Distribution Service as a delivered price. This is 5% higher than products supplied directly by the supplier to community and care home settings. However, the supplier charges and invoices Health Boards for delivery.
Products fulfilled via the National Distribution Service do not differentiate between patient groups as the delivery is to wards, departments and other end points. National Procurement conducts a quarterly meeting with the framework provider, Ontex Healthcare and any local KPIs are managed by individual health boards.