Supply Chain Management and Resilience during Disruption. Evaluation of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Supply of Personal Protective Equipment

Abstract

Covid-19 stressed supply for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) [1]. Lean practices have traditionally been proven to support stability in most operations [2], however, the pandemic highlighted concerns regarding lean system resilience in healthcare [2], [5], [6]. In this paper we evaluate supply chain resilience in the provision of PPE for medical staff in the United Kingdom through a content analysis of online government documents and press releases using a three-phase model: proactive, concurrent, and reactive. We propose a framework for future work on risk management approaches seeking to mitigate the effects of pandemic style disruption resulting from our emerging themes which include the identification and appreciation of critical suppliers, the location of warehouses and distribution centers and the impact of rapid restructuring of healthcare systems. A key recurrent theme is the need to integrate information and collaboration between government and the private sector and our data suggests that contrary to many beliefs, lean approaches are a valid tool.