Examination Gloves

The framework for Examination Gloves starts on 27 November 2023, runs for 24 months and ends on 26 November 2025. There is the option for two additional 12-month extensions.

Examination Gloves are manufactured from materials including nitrile, vinyl or latex. They are available in multi-unit packaging for easy access in clinical areas and worn during patient contact where there is a risk of exposure to body fluid.

This includes gloves worn to comply with standard and transmission infection control precautions and examination gloves that are worn during procedures where there may be contact with a substance that has a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) implication eg preparation of medication, use of cleaning products.

Vinyl and Nitrile examination gloves are made from synthetic materials and are latex free. Latex gloves are made from natural rubber, are more waterproof and resistant to tears or punctures.

Areas covered

There are four lots on this framework:

• Lot 1 – 6N Examination Gloves: 6N Nitrile Exam Gloves
• Lot 2 – Examination Gloves Specialised
• Lot 3 – Vinyl Examination Gloves
• Lot 4 – Latex Examination Gloves.

Surgical gloves are now available via their own standalone framework. See our Useful Links section for further detail.

Ethical procurement

This framework introduces what we consider to be an industry leading position on ethical procurement. In addition to all suppliers being required to pass the Modern Slavery Assessment Tool (MSAT) and the Labour Standards Assurance System (LSAS) they must also be independently audited as ‘low risk’ against all 11 of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) Indicators of Forced Labour.

These are:

• Abuse of vulnerability
• Deception
• Restriction of movement
• Isolation
• Physical and sexual violence
• Intimidation and threats
• Retention of identity documents
• Withholding of wages
• Debt bondage
• Abusive working and living conditions
• Excessive overtime.

Orders can only be placed with a supplier on the framework once they provide a third-party audit report demonstrating low risk against all the indicators.

We also require suppliers to confirm which manufacturer produces the gloves so that we can link National Product Codes (NPCs) to audit reports.

These requirements will be monitored across the lifetime of the framework and suppliers that do not comply will have their products suppressed, preventing orders being placed until the standards are met.

Please note some suppliers have some products that are currently conditional and suppressed. See our Downloads section to find a list of viable alternative products – see the tab called Conditional Lines Alternatives on the Framework Matrices.

Savings opportunities

A mini competition will be held on 6N gloves after the contract launch.

Please speak to our Hospital Care Team if you would like further detail about this opportunity.

Social Value

Since April 2022 all our frameworks have adopted the Procurement Policy Notice 06/20. The suppliers on this framework have demonstrated their plans for:

• Tackling economic inequality
• Equal opportunity
• Wellbeing

Sustainability

Each supplier on the framework has submitted Sustainability Plans setting out the measures they are taking to improve the sustainability of their products. Examples include:

• Using biofuel for shipping containers
• Sustainably sourced and recycled packaging
• Deliveries using electric vehicles or by rail
• Using renewable energy for office, warehouse or other operations
• More efficient packaging to reduce wastage.

Resilience

As a result of Covid there is now much greater exam glove manufacturing capacity, which helps increase supply resilience.

This, combined with our increased knowledge of the global manufacturing base, means we are better able to identify potential risks and mitigate them by building resilience into our sourcing strategies.

Important notice – for stocked products only.
Following the move to Buy Price = Sell Price, new contract / framework prices will only come into effect when stock of all product at the old contract / framework price has been depleted.