Planning monthly quantities
A steady monthly order starts with a simple count, not guesswork. This guide gives registered renal units a practical way to plan consumables, allow for delivery timing and keep a sensible buffer on hand.
Start with your treatment plan for the month
The easiest place to begin is your booked treatment list for the month ahead. Use your unit schedule, expected treatment days and any known public holiday changes to estimate how many sessions you are likely to run. If your unit serves both regular and overflow patients, separate those figures so you can see what is fixed and what may move. That makes it easier to order a core monthly quantity and then top up only if needed.
Keep the count at unit level rather than patient level when placing an order. For planning purposes, many units work from expected sessions per week, then convert that to a monthly total and compare it with what is already in stores. If you have any planned machine servicing, staff leave periods or reduced chair availability, factor that in early. A small adjustment made now usually prevents a rushed order later.
- Total booked sessions for the coming month
- Expected additional sessions or overflow demand
- Public holidays and weekend pattern changes
- Known service interruptions or maintenance windows
- Any planned outreach or satellite support requirements
Match each session to the consumables you use
Once you have a session estimate, map it to the consumables your unit uses routinely. The aim is not to create a complicated spreadsheet. It is simply to link each expected treatment to the usual items required by your unit so your monthly order reflects real usage. Use the same internal product descriptions your stores team already recognises, and keep pack sizes visible on the worksheet to reduce picking errors when you compile the final order.
For most units, the recurring lines will include bloodlines, dialysers, fistula needles, acid concentrate, bicarbonate concentrate and disinfectants. If you keep different variants for different unit protocols, list them on separate lines rather than combining them. That avoids ordering the right family of item in the wrong split. A clear line-by-line count may feel basic but it saves time and helps the stores team check it quickly, even on a busy Monday moring.
- Bloodlines by the exact type your unit orders
- Dialysers by the exact type your unit orders
- Fistula needles and any standard pack configurations
- Acid concentrate by container size and type
- Bicarbonate concentrate by container size and type
- Disinfectants used for routine cleaning cycles
Check what is already on the shelf
Before sending an enquiry, do a physical count of usable stock in stores and any clean hold areas your unit uses. Do not rely only on a previous spreadsheet or the last goods received note. Opened outers, part cartons and items kept in a secondary room can easily be missed. Count only stock that is still within your unit's accepted date range and in sound packaging.
Good stock rotation matters just as much as quantity. Use first-expiry-first-out and keep older cartons to the front where practical. If your unit is in a coastal area, check that storage space stays dry and away from direct heat, as humidity can make labelling harder to read and outer cartons softer over time. In Gauteng, summer storms and winter dry air can both affect storerooms if vents, doors or windows are left open.
- Count full cartons and loose units separately
- Note any stock already allocated to a later date
- Set aside damaged or questionable cartons for internal review
- Check expiry dates during the count
- Confirm storage conditions are clean, dry and orderly
Build in a sensible buffer
Most units prefer not to run stores right down to the last carton. A practical buffer helps when treatment numbers shift, a courier route is delayed by heavy rain, or a municipal water issue changes your week's routine. The right buffer is a local operational decision for the unit, but it should be visible on your worksheet as a separate line from expected usage so everyone can see what is baseline demand and what is contingency.
Keep the buffer sensible rather than excessive. Too little can leave you exposed, while too much may crowd the storeroom and complicate stock rotation. This is especially relevant for concentrates and disinfectants, which take space and need orderly stacking. If your unit is further from the main centres and receives scheduled deliveries rather than next-day courier, you may decide to hold a little more cover between deliveries.
A simple planning method is: expected monthly usage, minus usable stock on hand, plus your chosen buffer. That gives you a clear provisional order quantity for each line. Review it once more before submission so a copying error does not become a month-long headache.
Work backwards from your delivery window
Timing matters as much as quantities. If your unit is in Midrand, Johannesburg, Pretoria or another major centre, next-day courier can help keep the ordering cycle tight. For units further afield, scheduled deliveries need a bit more forward planning. Rather than waiting until shelves look low, set an internal order cut-off date each month and build your stock count around it.
It helps to think in three dates: the date you count stock, the date your unit approves the order, and the date you want goods on site. Leave enough room for receiving and checking deliveries before the stock is urgently needed. Also consider practical issues such as access control, receiving hours and who signs for incoming cartons when the stores lead is off duty.
- Choose a regular stock count day each month
- Set an internal approval date for the unit
- Allow time for courier transit or scheduled routing
- Plan around public holidays and month-end pressure
- Make sure the receiving team is ready on delivery day
Send a clear order and keep a simple record
When you are ready, send your enquiry through our contact page with your unit details, delivery town and the items required. A clear order list reduces back-and-forth and helps your unit receive exactly what it expects. Use one line per item, include the quantity required and note any delivery timing the unit needs us to know about. We supply registered renal units only, so it helps if the enquiry comes from the unit buyer, stores lead or another authorised role.
After each monthly order, keep a short record of what was planned, what was ordered and what remained at month end. You do not need a complicated system. Even a one-page monthly worksheet can show where your estimates were accurate and where adjustments are needed. Over two or three cycles, patterns usually become easier to spot, and the whole process gets quicker for the unit team.
If your ordering pattern is stable, you can also look at a standing order arrangement and review it at agreed intervals. That can save admin time while still leaving room for changes in activity or storage capacity.
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Questions we get asked
Who can order from Dialysis Supplies Direct?
We supply registered renal units only. We do not supply the public, and enquiries should come through the contact page from an authorised unit contact.
Can you help us choose products for a patient?
No. We do not provide clinical advice, treatment guidance or patient-specific product selection. We can assist with wholesale supply enquiries for registered renal units.
What information should we include in a monthly enquiry?
Include your unit name, delivery town, the consumables required, quantities per line, and any preferred delivery timing. It also helps to note whether the order is part of your regular monthly cycle.
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