Information for our suppliers

We have implemented a strict policy of No PO, No Pay for our suppliers. All invoices are required to have a valid purchase order (PO) number to ensure that invoice payments are processed as efficiently as possible.

No goods or services should be delivered until you are in receipt of a valid PO issued by The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust. The PO number must be quoted on your invoice, failure to do this will result in delayed payment.

What this means for you as a supplier

All suppliers of goods and / or services to the Trust must ensure that they obtain a purchase order when an order is placed and prior to providing any works or any goods or services. Our PO numbers have the following format:

All non-pharmacy POs will start with the prefix 357, the only exception to this are top-up orders made against a previously issued PO which will have the prefix RCX1, RCX5 or RCX9.

If you quote a number not in this format your invoice will be rejected.

How you will receive the PO

POs are emailed to suppliers when raised.

What should I do if I don’t receive a PO?

You should contact the member of staff who gave the original instruction to supply the goods and request the PO number.

What happens if I receive a PO and it does not seem to be correct?

Contact the person who requested the goods or services and the procurement team for clarification at procurement@qehkl.nhs.uk

Will I get paid any quicker if I quote a PO number?

Our standard payment terms are 30 days from the date of invoice. However, invoices received without a valid PO number quoted will not be paid and will be returned to the supplier. This will lead to a delay in the payment process.

An invoice has been returned or rejected requesting a valid PO number to be provided. How can this be obtained?

You should contact the member of staff who gave the original instruction to supply the goods.

Are there any services that are not affected by this policy?

There are execptions to this rule such as utilities or building rental – please see the full list of exceptions here. Pharmacy operates their own ordering system but a PO will be provided by this system.

What happens if I am asked to provide goods and / or services in an emergency?

You will still be issued with a PO number.

What happens if I supply services before receiving a PO?

Any supplier providing goods or services where a PO is required without a valid purchase order in place does this at their own risk. Invoices received that do not quote a valid order will be returned to the supplier requesting the purchase order to be quoted on the invoice. No payment will be made without a PO being in place.

The Trust is required to comply with applicable procurement legislation when engaging with suppliers of goods, works and services. Every purchase will require a form of contract, which in some instances could be as simple as a purchase order for small transactional purchases, but in other instances will be a formal document signed by both parties setting out the key conditions.

While it is common and appropriate for suppliers to interact directly with our service leads, please note that any initial agreements made at this stage are considered ‘in principle’ and will remain subject to review and approval by our Procurement Team.

In most cases, agreements are straightforward. However, for ongoing supplies or services, it will be necessary for the Trust to go through a formal award process before the provision of goods or services begins.

Please contact our procurement team for guidane at procurement@qehkl.nhs.uk.

The following items are exempt from the ‘No PO, No Policy’:

• Accommodation fees
• Agency nursing requested through MAPs
• Agency staff (medical must go through bank / staff flow managed by HR
• Agency staff (non-medical) via bank
• Building rental
• Credit / procurement cards
• Cremation and burial fees
• Debt collection fees
• Doctors’ and consultants’ payments – private patients
• Document retrieval fees
• HMRC payments including apprenticeship levy
• Homecare
• Hospital prescriptions
• Import duties
• Injury benefit payments
• Legal services
• Losses and compensation payments
• Newspapers for private patients
• NHS services
• NHSLA payments
• NHSSC consolidated invoices
• Orthotics
• Parent accommodation for paediatric ITU
• Pathology tests
• Patient appliances
• Patient contact lenses and glasses
• Patient eye tests
• Patient translation
• Patients’ fare
• Rates
• Salary recharges
• Salary sacrifice – childcare, cycle schemes, vehicles, computers and mobile phones
• Staff pensions
• Utilities