Modern Slavery Act
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Act 2015 Annual Statement – 2022
Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires all organisations to set out the steps it has taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains, and in any part of its own business.
The aim of this statement is to demonstrate that the Trust follows good practice and all reasonable steps are being taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides a comprehensive range of high quality acute care services, our more than 6,200-strong workforce serves a population of about 400,000 people across Wirral, Ellesmere Port, Neston, North Wales and the wider North West footprint. We operate across two main sites, these being Arrowe Park Hospital in Upton and Clatterbridge Hospital in Bebington. We also provide a range of outpatient services from community locations at St Catherine’s Health Centre in Birkenhead and Victoria Central Health Centre in Wallasey.
The Trust has well established and robust recruitment and vetting procedures, and ensures that suppliers operate in accordance with the provisions of the Modern Slavery Act.
The Trust has a total non-pay spend of c.£130m on goods, equipment and services. The Trust aims to achieve value for money and to promote social values through its contracting and purchasing activity, and the effective utilisation of the Trust’s spend contributes significantly to the quality of the patient environment and patient care
The Trust supports the eradication of Modern Slavery through its procurement procedures and processes and is clear that it expects all potential suppliers to be fully compliant with the provisions of the Modern Slavery Act. The Trust does this in a number of ways including the use of Public Sector Frameworks where there is strong awareness of and monitoring for Modern Slavery in the supply chain. The Trust’s tendering documentation includes the provision for the mandatory exclusion of any bidder that has been convicted of a human trafficking offence, and the Trust’s contracts include terms and conditions conferring a legal responsibility on Contractors to support that same objective to eradicate slavery and human trafficking.
Procurement professionals within the Trust are Members of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply with a requirement to undertake training in Social Value as part of their Continuing Professional development.
The Trust will continue to follow good practice, ensuring all reasonable steps are taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking within its supply chain and will monitor and review its approach via the Trust’s Procurement Strategy.
The Board approved this statement at its meeting on the 1st June 2022.