The UK Department of Health has started making GS1 mandatory in the National Health Service (NHS), requiring Trusts to develop board-approved implementation plans. Tim Brown, an expert from GS1 UK, an independent global supply chain standards organization, has three-step advice on how NHS trusts can use GS1 standards: apply a proof-of-concept; find an executive champion; and locate a region to implement the standard.

The UK e-procurement strategy was released and implemented in May 2014. The strategy states that by 2016, the use of science and technology and the implementation of a holistic procurement approach based on global standards, UK national structures and local distribution could help the Trust save £1.5bn. The cost savings will remain significant in subsequent years due to greatly improved operating efficiencies.

So, what can the GS1 standard do?

The GS1 standard uses the simplest method to provide a globally unique identifier for "items". These "items" can be anything procured (scalpels, uniforms, carts, medicine, food, etc.), but also anything in a hospital: patients, shelves, and cases. Once an object is identified, it can be tracked. Defective implants can be detected by simple barcode scanning at various stages of the operation process, improving the efficiency of product recalls (such as ensuring that the patient is matched with the drug during the patient medication stage), thereby greatly reducing the occurrence of risks . Ultimately, the implementation of GS1 standards can help ensure that specific patients receive the right treatment at the right time.

This standard has been applied in other fields. For example, the retail industry in the UK can save 10.9 billion pounds per year due to the use of GS1 commodity barcodes. Likewise, substantial cost savings can be found in the medical field as well.