Healthcare distribution is the backbone of patients receiving life-saving medicines. HDA members ensure that patients receive the right medicine, in the right place, at the right time. They are trusted and respected partners of pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacy, clinical professionals and the NHS, and work with policy makers and regulators to ensure the safe, efficient and cost-effective distribution of critical medicines.

Supporting the NHS

Healthcare distribution provides a highly efficient and cost-effective service for supply chain partners, and distributors ensure a resilient, agile and dynamic supply chain. HDA members enable safe, secure and accurate distribution on behalf of the NHS, and work closely with its partners to help them deliver their own priorities for improving patient outcomes.

Innovation

With big data underpinning the services provided by HDA members and increasingly becoming a source of new products and services, we are able to anticipate change and are ahead of the curve in introducing new technologies. Members understand their customers’ concerns, and design innovative solutions to address them. Healthcare distribution is truly leading the supply chain integration that will enable increased efficiencies and better service.

Supply Chain Disruption

HDA members embrace change and are constantly looking for new ways of working. New entrants to the market must be carefully assessed for direct and indirect impacts on the supply chain, and all of them must be subject to the same regulations and quality standards. Safety, security and efficiency must be the watch words for assessing the disruptive forces in medicine supply.

Regulation

The HDA is a trusted and constructive partner for policy makers and regulators who are seeking to strengthen a safe, secure and cost-effective supply chain. HDA members seek a proportionate and risk-based regulatory approach that is enforced equitably across the supply chain, and advocate for future regulations to take into account the unique characteristics of the UK medicine supply chain to avoid placing more burden on to an already stretched sector.

Resilience

The resilience of healthcare distribution has been recognised by the UK Government in the Brexit planning that has been undertaken in recent months, as has the Association’s leading role in the preparations and regulatory flexibilities required in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our members are able to respond to any emergency situation, whether it be natural, as in the case of storms and floods, or man-made, to ensure that medicines will get through.