How to Reduce Consumables Costs in GP Surgeries (Without Compromising Care)

With budgets tightening across the UK healthcare system, GP surgeries are under growing pressure to reduce consumables spending without compromising patient care. From gloves and wipes to syringes, disinfectants and diagnostic essentials, the volume of day-to-day consumables has a direct impact on clinical and operational costs.

The good news: most surgeries can reduce their consumables spend by 10–25% simply by improving procurement strategy, standardising products and switching to more efficient ordering practices. This guide explains exactly how — and what GP practices should look for in a trustworthy medical supplier.

1. Standardise Core Consumables

Many surgeries overspend because they order multiple brands or variations of the same item. Standardising your core consumables can immediately lower cost and simplify stock management. The most common items suitable for standardisation include:

• Medical gloves — nitrile or latex where appropriate
• Sanitising and disinfectant wipes
• Aprons and PPE
• Couch roll and dressings
• Syringes, sharps and disposal items

Switching to a single, reliable supplier for everyday consumables such as medical gloves, sanitising wipes and general disposables helps reduce unit cost while improving consistency across clinical rooms.

2. Choose Suppliers With Consistent Stock & Transparent Pricing

Procurement teams often waste time — and money — chasing stock that’s out of stock, delayed or priced inconsistently. Choosing a supplier with predictable stock availability is key.

Look for suppliers who offer:

• Real-time stock updates
• Clear bulk pricing tiers
• No hidden costs
• Reliable next-day or 48-hour delivery

Vena Cava provides transparent pricing across high-volume categories like disposables, infection control and diagnostic equipment, helping surgeries plan budgets with confidence.

3. Bulk Buying: When It Works — and When It Doesn’t

Bulk buying is one of the simplest ways to cut costs, but it must be done strategically. Overstocking leads to expired items and unnecessary storage use. Meanwhile, understocking causes last-minute premium purchases.

Bulk buying works best for:

• Gloves
• Wipes and disinfectants
• Couch roll
• Sharps bins and disposal units

For products with a shorter shelf life or irregular usage, avoid buying excessively in advance. Instead, set reorder points and maintain a minimum stock level.

4. Avoid Brand Switching Unless It Makes Sense

Many surgeries overspend by sticking to expensive branded items even when generic equivalents offer the same quality. However, brand switching must be done carefully — especially for clinical equipment that affects diagnosis.

Consumables are usually safe to switch, but equipment should remain high-quality and reputable. For example, stethoscopes should still be sourced from trusted suppliers of Littmann stethoscopes and other premium diagnostic tools.

5. Consolidate Your Suppliers

Working with too many suppliers leads to:

• Higher delivery costs
• Inconsistent pricing
• Administrative inefficiency
• Longer reconciliation time

Consolidating supplies into one or two primary suppliers gives practices stronger negotiating power and simplifies monthly ordering. Vena Cava supports clinics with a broad range of disposables, equipment and trusted products for everyday care.

6. Use a Trade Account for Better Pricing

Many clinics don’t realise they can access better pricing simply through a trade account. Benefits usually include:

• Bulk pricing tiers
• Priority dispatch
• Dedicated account support
• 30-day or 60-day payment terms (depending on the supplier)

Healthcare organisations and NHS practices can view the dedicated Vena Cava ordering route via the Official NHS Orders page.

7. Switch to Predictive Ordering

Predictive ordering helps practices avoid emergency purchases, last-minute shortages and unplanned premium pricing. You can implement predictive ordering by:

• Reviewing the previous 6–12 months of usage
• Setting reorder alerts for high-volume items
• Standardising usage per clinical room
• Using an inventory checklist per clinician or room

Practices that adopt predictive ordering reduce emergency overspend by up to 40%.

8. Review Your Consumables Every 6 Months

Many GP surgeries fall into the trap of “set and forget” ordering. A biannual consumables review helps identify:

• Which items are over-ordered
• Which products have unnecessary variations
• Which categories have cheaper equivalents available
• Which suppliers have increased prices without notice

Surgeries that conduct regular reviews tend to maintain better stock levels and reduce waste.

9. Reduce Wastage Through Better Storage Systems

Wastage is a silent cost. Poor organisation often leads to expired items, damaged packaging and unused stock hidden behind fresh deliveries.

Best practices include:

• Clear labelling across storage areas
• FIFO (“first in, first out”) stock rotation
• Dedicated zones for high-use consumables
• Separated PPE, sharps, and sterile items

These small improvements can save clinics hundreds of pounds every quarter.

10. Optimise Your Supplier Relationship

Strong supplier relationships create long-term savings. Clinics benefit from:

• Advance notification of price changes
• Access to new cost-efficient products
• Improved bulk pricing tiers
• Better customer support and faster resolutions

At Vena Cava, we regularly support customers with product recommendations, usage guidance and category alternatives across disposables, infection control and clinical equipment.

Final Thoughts

Reducing consumables spend doesn’t require cutting corners or compromising patient care. With the right strategy — and the right supplier — GP surgeries can improve efficiency, streamline ordering and significantly lower operational costs.

If you're reviewing suppliers or looking to reduce costs across your consumables, contact the Vena Cava team for tailored support or visit our Disposables and Infection Control categories to explore cost-efficient options.