NHS Gorsey Point facility now open!

A new regional distribution centre that will support 115 NHS Trusts is now fully operational, providing a more resilient and efficient supply of products and medical equipment to hospitals and other health care providers across the North West of England, managed and served by Unipart Logistics as part of the NHS Supply Chain contract.

The 400,000 square foot Gorsey Point facility – the size of six professional football pitches, is around three times larger than the region’s current distribution centre, UL Runcorn, providing 60,000 pallet spaces.

The regional distribution centre is located in Widnes and will serve 3,500 delivery locations and 18,400 individual requisition points that deliver the products and equipment needed to care for patients across the region.

Kristian Latham, Business Unit Director, NHS, said: "The Gorsey Point facility is tripling our capacity to ensure NHS trusts in the North West receive the vital supplies they need. This investment strengthens our commitment to exceptional service, helping clinicians focus on what matters most—patient care."

Andrew New, Chief Executive Officer at NHS Supply Chain, said: “NHS Supply Chain’s Gorsey Point facility is a major investment in the North West and a significant part of our long term national growth plans, future-proofing our logistics operation in this part of the country and allowing us to better meet the growing needs of NHS trusts in the region.

The purpose-built facility gives us the capacity to store not only a greater level of stock overall but also a broader range of products used by the NHS, boosting the resilience of our supply chain. This is something NHS trusts really wanted. Our reason for being is to help the NHS to put patients first and in this case we are delivering on that by working to make sure clinicians can rely on our supply chain to provide the product"

For colleagues, the facility includes canteen, rest areas, locker rooms, showers, etc. which provides a more modern environment making daily tasks easier, and allowing colleagues to be more productive.

The NHS Supply Chain contract manages the sourcing, delivery and supply of healthcare products, services and food for NHS trusts and healthcare organisations across England and Wales. Unipart currently provides logistics services from 7 regional distribution centres across the UK.

Celebrating the opening of Gorsey Point

The grand opening of Gorsey Point was a memorable event, coinciding with the 50th anniversary celebrations of Unipart. The festivities drew over 300 colleagues and their families, creating a lively atmosphere filled with fun and excitement. The event offered a perfect blend of activities for all ages, including site tours, games, face painting, and various competitions.

Attendees indulged in a variety of delicious foods, from pizzas and samosas to ice creams, cakes, and sweets, ensuring no one went hungry. The children were especially thrilled with the inflatable games, colouring competitions, and a surprise visit from Neil Morris, who delighted everyone by dressing up as Darth Vader.

One of the highlights of the day was the tombola, which proved to be very popular, raising nearly £400 for Macmillan.