'Partner Spotlight Of The Month' Interview With Anish Tailor At GS1 UK

Welcome to the eighth of our ‘Partner Spotlight of the Month’ interviews.

We have already brought you customer, vendor and staff interviews, so we thought it would be interesting to see what our partners have to say about us.

This month we spoke with Anish Tailor, Head of Partnerships at GS1 UK, to find out his thoughts on all things Dakota.

1. How long have you been in your current role at GS1 UK?

I joined GS1 UK in May 2023 as Head of Partnerships.

2. Can you tell us more about GS1 UK?

GS1 UK is a not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to driving the adoption of global standards across key industries including healthcare, construction, retail and marketplaces. Our GS1 standards facilitate the identification, capture and sharing of information in a consistent format, ensuring interoperability across platforms, supply chains and businesses. 

3. What does your role within GS1 UK involve?

I lead a team that manages a network of partners across various types of technologies and industries. Our mission is to work with our partners to drive the amplification and adoption of GS1 standards across our sectors. To achieve this, we work collaboratively to facilitate greater engagement between our partners and members on the issues that matter most. 

4. How long have you known the team at Dakota?

Dakota are a longstanding partner of GS1 UK. Since joining, Dakota’s commitment to GS1 UK's healthcare mission has been clear. Our partnership is working to improve patient safety and efficiency by using GS1 standards to transform the way people work and live.

5. What is Dakota like to interact with on a business basis?

The team, particularly Dakota’s dedicated Partner Manager Bradley Hamper, values interaction with Dakota as they share our vision in supporting the NHS to deliver Scan4Safety and ultimately, patient safety. The team at Dakota are approachable and have a deep understating of the sectors they work in, particularly around healthcare. They are quick to provide support and education to help drive a better NHS.  

6. What attributes does GS1 UK require when seeking partnerships with businesses such as Dakota?

We look for partners that will understand the vital work we are doing to improve patient safety, and that want to work with us on outputs to support our members with standards adoption.

We have an ambitious three-year strategy in healthcare and we want to work with partners that are keen to make our agenda a reality. Whether it’s to help achieve goals such as incorporating point of care scanning as a standard practice across the NHS, driving the implementation of unique Global Location Numbers (GLNs) to identify clinical areas as part of the New Hospital Programme, or to introduce technology and systems in line with GS1 standards, we know we can only do this with a thriving, like-minded and driven partner network.

7. What benefits do you think Dakota’s partnership contributes to GS1 UK’s overall ecosystem?

Dakota’s expertise in healthcare offers us a unique insight into the NHS. This helps to support our understanding of what technologies NHS Trusts are adopting, which is an area that we may have little visibility on. Our two-way communication is vital.  

Dakota is also an integral part in our ongoing mission to amplify Scan4Safety adoption across the NHS; a mission that Dakota has been a part of since the inception of the initiative a decade ago. The team has always been at the forefront of GS1 standards adoption, working with us and the NHS to make sure Trusts have the right solutions that support our standards, especially around tracking and tracing people, products, places, and assets. 

Crucially though, collaboration on joint outward activity such as thought leadership content and case study development, provides additional value to help bring our mission and standards to life. These elements are essential when it comes to educating our members on the benefits of standards adoption, but also what technology to implement to support that adoption.

8. What are Dakota’s specific USPs?

We believe Dakota’s USPs are its grounding within healthcare and its intricate understanding of key technologies specifically in data capture, mobility printing and labelling. With this expertise, Dakota can offer end-to-end solutions based on customers’ requirements.

Not only does Dakota have expertise in technologies including solutions centred around such needs as scanning, printing and labelling, but they are also leading the way in voice-enabled technology with integrated AI to provide a greater level of operational efficiencies for their clients, whether it be in supply chain or healthcare.

9. And finally, what do you hope the future holds for GS1 UK’s relationship with Dakota?

What do I hope for with regard to the future between GS1 UK and Dakota? I hope that through continued partnership we can support each other in driving standards across the NHS. Trying not to repeat what I have already said, but we would like to see Dakota continue their work with the NHS in supporting their digitisation and the standards that underpin their solutions. I would like to drive greater levels of engagement with Dakota that will enhance our collective ability to improve patient safety and drive operational efficiencies across the NHS.