NHS England and NHS Improvement would like to draw your attention to the article in the recent Primary Care Bulletin (Issue 70 – 1 October 2020) relating to the sign up to the national PPE portal.  It has been noted nationally that sign-up is low and we urge you to sign up if you have not already done so. Please see the article below:

Register to the PPE portal for free PPE for all primary care providers

Infection rates are rising in the UK and winter is approaching. To ensure all primary care providers, including community pharmacists, optometrists, dentists, orthodontists and GPs, have a resilient route for getting free COVID-19 PPE, we have increased order limits.

Register and access the portal using your CQC/MHRA/NHSE/NHS BSA registered email. Guidance on what PPE items you can order (including order limits) is also available.

Call the customer service team on 0800 876 6802 if you have any questions about using the PPE portal. The team is available from 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week.

The PPE portal will be the primary source of free COVID-19 PPE (including Flu vaccination requirements). However, if there is a severe disruption to distribution, in the first instance get in contact with your local authority or LRF. A gov.uk page will shortly be published with the local authority/LRF contact details. If this route is not possible, get in contact with the NSDR.

Note for those providers who have not yet registered on the portal:

1. Contractors should have received an email inviting them to register on the portal from the PPE Dedicated Supply Channel email address:ppe.dedicated.supply.channel@notifications.service.gov.uk. (Please note this email address does not accept incoming emails)

• Providers are asked to check their mailboxes and junk mail folders for this email. Depending on the provider group this may include their NHS mail account (Community Pharmacy) or the  email address they have registered with MHRA/CQC (GP), NHS BSA (Dental and Optometry) as these databases were used to obtain contact email addresses. If a contractor cannot find this email or is having any difficulties in registering they should contact the portal customer service team on 0800 876 6802.

1. Providers are encouraged to register promptly, to ensure they can order their full supply of Covid related PPE from a central inventory. Order limits have been set according to patient activity levels but if any provider feels their limit is incorrect then they can contact the portal customer service team on 0800 876 6802.

• Orders through the portal should arrive within 48 hours if placed before 1pm. Orders placed after 1pm will be subject to an additional 24-hours. Information on what items are available for your sector and size are available on the DHSC guidance page.
• If providers have any queries please contact the PPE portal customer services on 0800 876 6802.