NHS England’s Vaccine Distribution Partnership with Movianto

NHS England has signed a five-year agreement with Movianto UK to provide pharmaceutical warehousing for its national vaccination and immunisation programmes, following a competitive tender process.

The arrangement means that more than 11,000 healthcare locations across England will receive vaccines through a temperature-controlled distribution network managed by the company.

Movianto UK, which has been part of Yusen Logistics since 2025, provides distribution services for healthcare products across Europe.

The partnership covers vaccine storage, inventory management, order fulfilment and GDP-compliant distribution to NHS providers. A shared-user operating model will support routine immunisation, national screening programmes and emergency public health responses.

Andy Robinson, Deputy Managing Director of Movianto UK, says: "The partnership brings together one of Europe's most advanced healthcare logistics networks with NHS England's national vaccination programmes, creating a more resilient, agile and efficient supply chain capable of supporting routine immunisation, national screening programmes and emergency public health responses."

A healthcare-specific storage network

NHS England will access an existing healthcare storage network that already serves pharmaceutical manufacturers, NHS organisations and UK Government departments.

Vaccines will move directly into regulated storage facilities, which could reduce the time between supply and delivery to NHS providers.

Andy adds: "This shared-user operating model maximises utilisation of existing infrastructure, reduces duplication of resources and delivers improved value through greater operational efficiency."

The network has handled pandemic preparedness, emergency response and time-critical delivery of medicines and vaccines across the UK.

Efficient transport supports sustainability goals

The model could support NHS and UK Government sustainability targets by reducing handling and transport movements between facilities and healthcare providers.

According to the partnership agreement, suppliers can deliver vaccines directly into the storage network rather than moving stock between multiple facilities before reaching NHS services.

Improved responsiveness to healthcare providers forms part of wider NHS procurement objectives that seek to reduce carbon emissions while delivering greater social value.

The arrangement draws on existing infrastructure already in use for pharmaceutical distribution across England.

MenB vaccination programme tests rapid response capability

Movianto UK supported the national Meningococcal Group B vaccination programme for young people in July 2026, which launched at short notice.

The company worked with NHS England and national stakeholders to get vaccines to community pharmacies and other providers in response to an outbreak of meningococcal cases among university students in Kent.

More than 16,000 orders have been processed and delivered to date, according to the company.

Andy adds: "The successful mobilisation demonstrated the resilience, flexibility and responsiveness of the new national logistics model and highlighted the importance of an established pharmaceutical supply chain capable of responding rapidly to emerging public health priorities.

"We are proud to partner with NHS England in delivering one of the UK's most strategically important healthcare supply chains. This contract recognises the value of harnessing existing pharmaceutical infrastructure to create a smarter, more efficient operating model that benefits patients and the NHS alike.

"Our shared-user approach combines GDP-compliant warehousing, advanced inventory management and nationwide temperature-controlled distribution to provide a resilient platform capable of supporting routine healthcare delivery while remaining ready to respond rapidly during national emergencies."

A partnership aiming to modernise healthcare delivery

Commenting on the announcement, Neil Gibbens, Deputy Director of Performance and Delivery Improvement at NHS England, says: "The contract represents another significant milestone in NHS England's commitment to modernising national healthcare logistics through strategic partnerships that combine operational excellence, innovation, sustainability and value for money while strengthening resilience across the UK's healthcare supply chain.

"The successful mobilisation of the MenB vaccination programme demonstrated exactly why resilient national logistics capability is so important in responding rapidly to changing public health needs."