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Responses > NHS Medical Equipment Tracking

Freedom of Information request NHS Medical Equipment Tracking

Response published: 9 April 2026
Estates | Medical Equipment

FOI Request

1. Current Use of Asset Tracking a) Does your organisation use any system to track the location of medical equipment? (Yes / No) If “No" go to section 4. b) If yes, which of the following methods are used to track equipment? (please select all that apply) • Fixed scanners or handheld scanners that detect tagged equipment automatically (e.g. radio-frequency or similar technologies) • Tags or sensors attached to equipment that provide location updates within buildings (e.g. via Bluetooth or similar signals) • Scanning barcodes or QR codes on equipment using mobile devices • Location tracking using GPS (e.g. for equipment used in the community) • Manual recording of equipment location (e.g. spreadsheets, paper records, or asset registers) • Other (please specify) c) If known, please provide the name(s) of any supplier(s) used. ________________________________________ 2. Scope of Tracking a) Does tracking cover: • Acute settings only • Acute and community settings • Community settings only b) Approximately how many assets are tracked? • <1,000 • 1,000–5,000 • 5,000–10,000 • 10,000+ ________________________________________ 3. Operational Challenges Does your organisation experience any of the following? (please select all that apply) • Equipment not available when needed • Time spent by staff searching for equipment • Difficulty locating devices for maintenance or compliance • None of the above ________________________________________ 4. Evaluation and Future Plans a) Has your organisation produced any internal report or evaluation relating to asset tracking systems? (Yes / No) b) Are there plans to review or expand asset tracking capabilities within the next 24 months? (Yes / No / Unknown) ________________________________________

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 102-2026

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

1. Current Use of Asset Tracking

a) Does your organisation use any system to track the location of medical equipment?
(Yes / No)

If “No” go to section 4.

Our response:

No.

You asked:

b) If yes, which of the following methods are used to track equipment? (please select all that apply)

  • Fixed scanners or handheld scanners that detect tagged equipment automatically (e.g. radio-frequency or similar technologies)
  • Tags or sensors attached to equipment that provide location updates within buildings (e.g. via Bluetooth or similar signals)
  • Scanning barcodes or QR codes on equipment using mobile devices
  • Location tracking using GPS (e.g. for equipment used in the community)
  • Manual recording of equipment location (e.g. spreadsheets, paper records, or asset registers)
  • Other (please specify)

c) If known, please provide the name(s) of any supplier(s) used.

2. Scope of Tracking

a) Does tracking cover:

  • Acute settings only
  • Acute and community settings
  • Community settings only

b) Approximately how many assets are tracked?

  • <1,000
  • 1,000–5,000
  • 5,000–10,000
  • 10,000+

3. Operational Challenges – Does your organisation experience any of the following? (please select all that apply)

  • Equipment not available when needed
  • Time spent by staff searching for equipment
  • Difficulty locating devices for maintenance or compliance
  • None of the above

Our response:

Questions 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b and 3 not appliable.

You asked:

4. Evaluation and Future Plans

a) Has your organisation produced any internal report or evaluation relating to asset tracking systems?
(Yes / No)

Our response:

No.

You asked:

b) Are there plans to review or expand asset tracking capabilities within the next 24 months?
(Yes / No / Unknown)

Our response:

Yes.

Next steps:

Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:

Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.