BWPC had four legacy procurement systems with complex integrations which had become difficult to manage, limiting its ability to operate with control, consistency and strategic oversight. What should have been a coordinated function was instead constrained by fragmented systems and process inefficiencies, making it challenging to respond effectively to growing operational and regulatory demands.

Top challenges included:

In a high-demand environment with over 112,000 purchase orders annually, these challenges significantly constrained BWPC’s ability to ensure efficient, reliable and compliant procurement operations.

To address the growing complexity and inefficiencies in its procurement space, BWPC set out to redefine procurement as a more controlled, transparent and strategic function. The focus was on establishing a strong digital foundation that could support better decision-making, ensure compliance and enable long-term operational resilience. Key objectives included:

BWPC, with the help of HCLTech, implemented SAP Ariba as a unified source-to-pay platform, consolidating four legacy systems into a single, integrated environment. The solution brought together Strategic Sourcing, Contract Management, Supplier Management and Guided Buying to establish a centralized and standardized procurement framework across both NHS Trusts. A dual-realm architecture was designed to enable the two Trusts to operate within a shared system while maintaining independent financial structures. The platform was integrated with existing Oracle finance systems and the Genesis stock management system through APIs, ensuring continuity across procurement, finance and inventory operations.

The implementation followed a phased, upstream-first approach to minimize risk and maintain operational stability. Key capabilities such as guided buying, standardized sourcing, real-time spend tracking and workflow-based governance were embedded into the system, supported by a cloud-based, data-driven architecture aligned with UK procurement regulations.

With a unified SAP Ariba–based source‑to‑pay platform in place, BWPC established a stronger digital foundation for procurement, bringing better oversight and embedded governance into everyday workflows and enabled more informed decision‑making. Key outcomes include:

Beyond measurable outcomes, the transformation repositioned procurement as a strategic enabler within BWPC, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and stronger cross-functional collaboration. Procurement teams now work more closely with clinical and technical stakeholders, with greater alignment embedded directly into sourcing activities. Enhanced reporting capabilities, including the creation of multiple custom reports, have streamlined insight sharing and strengthened commercial governance across the organization. The shift to a unified platform has also improved user experience through simplified access and more intuitive processes, while strengthening supplier onboarding and compliance tracking.

“HCLTech’s support has continued to deliver valuable insights into innovative ways to continuously develop our SAP Ariba Solution. BWPC’s Continuous Improvement Team lead on engagement with the wider BWPC team and Trust stakeholders, which then is brought back to daily project meetings with HCLTech, where potential ideas and solutions are discussed leaning on HCLTech’s experience with SAP Ariba.”

Christopher Levoir, Head of Commercial Excellence, BWPC