CCR Endoscopy Challenge

The final procurement following the market research and engagement dialogue phases may or may not result in the Health Board awarding to 1 or more suppliers based on the outcomes received from the Industry relating to the Challenge. This may be related to devices/ solutions or both Endoscopy waiting lists in Wales continue to face significant pressure. During the height of the pandemic the provision of diagnostic, therapeutic and surveillance endoscopy services were extremely challenged with a significant increase in those awaiting a procedure. Today, even as capacity returns slowly towards normal, the overall numbers of patients awaiting a procedure continues to grow. Strict review and triage of lists has required the absolute prioritisation of urgent and higher risk cases. However, overall time to intervention for such cases is not at the level desired. Patients deemed non-urgent such as those waiting for surveillance colonoscopy and those thought to be at less risk of cancer continue to wait due to the lack of capacity. There is evidence that even patients with high risk symptoms or positive screening tests are also having to wait far longer than desirable. The requirement for in-patient admissions for some patients and the necessary wait before an endoscopic examination can be completed adds additional pressure on availability of beds and overall patient flow through hospitals. Current endoscopy technology is reusable and capital costs are between GBP60,000.00 to GBP100,000.00 per endoscope system. After each use, the endoscope needs to be decontaminated using specialist units costing roughly GBP1 million per year to run. As described above, Endoscopy waiting lists represent a continuing challenge for the NHS in Wales. The additional demand exceeds available capacity therefore, increasing the value secured through spend on endoscopy is critical to secure a sustainable future for the service. The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB) are looking to offer the opportunity to rapidly assess and develop novel solutions and technologies that have the potential to accelerate disruptive innovation in reducing the burden of work on endoscopy suites, which could cover several areas such as Technologies or approaches that would obviate the need for an endoscopic procedure such as (but not limited to) : - New training methods to upskill Health Care Professionals to improve the quality of referrals and increase workforce capacity - New endoscopy procedures and approaches - Faster decontamination/cleaning/workflow systems - Development and/or implementation of new non-invasive technology - AI/advance analytics to monitor, manage and signpost patients on the waiting list The aims are as follows; - Better management of demand, ensuring maximum value is delivered by the service whilst maintaining a high quality, safe service - People will get a Faster, definitive diagnosis - Improved capacity and capability within the service - Fewer complications -Improved, expedited recovery and discharge from hospital Additional information: The intention is to release funding at each stage of the Challenge process to fund shortlisted organisations to undertake R&D as the project progresses.

The final procurement following the market research and engagement dialogue phases may or may not result in the Health Board awarding to 1 or more suppliers based on the outcomes received from the Industry relating to the Challenge. This may be related to devices/ solutions or both Endoscopy waiting lists in Wales continue to face significant pressure. During the height of the pandemic the provision of diagnostic, therapeutic and surveillance endoscopy services were extremely challenged with a significant increase in those awaiting a procedure. Today, even as capacity returns slowly towards normal, the overall numbers of patients awaiting a procedure continues to grow. Strict review and triage of lists has required the absolute prioritisation of urgent and higher risk cases. However, overall time to intervention for such cases is not at the level desired. Patients deemed non-urgent such as those waiting for surveillance colonoscopy and those thought to be at less risk of cancer continue to wait due to the lack of capacity. There is evidence that even patients with high risk symptoms or positive screening tests are also having to wait far longer than desirable. The requirement for in-patient admissions for some patients and the necessary wait before an endoscopic examination can be completed adds additional pressure on availability of beds and overall patient flow through hospitals. Current endoscopy technology is reusable and capital costs are between GBP60,000.00 to GBP100,000.00 per endoscope system. After each use, the endoscope needs to be decontaminated using specialist units costing roughly GBP1 million per year to run. As described above, Endoscopy waiting lists represent a continuing challenge for the NHS in Wales. The additional demand exceeds available capacity therefore, increasing the value secured through spend on endoscopy is critical to secure a sustainable future for the service. The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB) are looking to offer the opportunity to rapidly assess and develop novel solutions and technologies that have the potential to accelerate disruptive innovation in reducing the burden of work on endoscopy suites, which could cover several areas such as Technologies or approaches that would obviate the need for an endoscopic procedure such as (but not limited to) : - New training methods to upskill Health Care Professionals to improve the quality of referrals and increase workforce capacity - New endoscopy procedures and approaches - Faster decontamination/cleaning/workflow systems - Development and/or implementation of new non-invasive technology - AI/advance analytics to monitor, manage and signpost patients on the waiting list The aims are as follows; - Better management of demand, ensuring maximum value is delivered by the service whilst maintaining a high quality, safe service - People will get a Faster, definitive diagnosis - Improved capacity and capability within the service - Fewer complications -Improved, expedited recovery and discharge from hospital