No Purchase Order, No Pay

A woman holding a sign that says: No Purchase Order, No Pay

We operate a strict No Purchase Order (PO), No Pay policy for all suppliers. 

This makes sure that every order is properly authorised before goods or services are provided.

This helps us to maintain financial control, transparency and process invoices in a timely manner. 

What you can do to help

To support our policy, as a supplier, you must follow the guidelines below:

  • Valid purchase orders — A valid Purchase Order (PO) number must be issued by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust before any goods or services are supplied.
  • Authorisation requirement — The PO confirms that the request has been approved internally and that funding has been allocated.
  • Invoice compliance — All invoices must clearly quote the correct PO number. Invoices submitted without a valid PO may be returned or experience significant delays.
  • Supplier responsibility — Suppliers should wait to receive an official PO before starting any work or delivering any products.
  • Payment processing — Providing the correct PO number ensures invoices can be processed efficiently and payments can be made without unnecessary delay.

Policy benefits 

This policy supports consistent procurement practices, reduces errors and helps maintain strong working relationships with our suppliers.

This approach allows us to work efficiently and make sure that all financial transactions are handled in a compliant and consistent manner across the Trust.

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