Docfan Academy

Good stock management means the right item is on the shelf when you need it, and nothing quietly expires in the corner. You need a simple system and the discipline to use it.

Basic rules

• FEFO: first-expiry, first-out. Issue the stock that expires first, even if it arrived later. Put new deliveries behind older stock.
• Stock cards and counts: write every receipt and issue on the stock card. Count the shelf regularly and compare it with the card. A difference is a clue. Find the cause. Do not hide it.
• Check expiry dates when you receive stock and at every count. Remove expired stock at once and keep it apart, clearly labelled.

Minimum, maximum and ordering

• Minimum level: the lowest stock you accept. It must cover the days until the next delivery arrives, plus a safety margin.
• Maximum level: the most you should hold, based on shelf space, shelf life and how fast you use the item.
• Lead time is the time from placing an order to having the stock on your shelf. A long lead time means you must reorder earlier and hold more safety stock.
• When stock drops to the reorder point, order enough to bring it back toward the maximum.

Which items to watch most

• ABC: A items are the few that use most of your money. B items are in the middle. C items are many and cheap. Count A items most often.
• VEN: Vital items must never run out. Essential items are important. Non-essential items can wait. Protect V items first.

Planning with your supplier

Tell your supplier early about your usage, expected peaks such as campaigns, outbreaks or seasons, and the delivery days that suit you. Warn them before you are close to a stock-out. Both extremes cost you: a stock-out harms patients, and overstock ties up money and ends in expiry.