Non-Obstetric Ultrasound Service for Surrey Heartlands ICB

Concepts

• reigate
• medical imaging
• surrey heartlands icb north west surrey place
• surrey heartlands north west surrey place
• surrey heartlands icb north west
• surrey heartlands north west
• surrey heartlands icb
• surrey place
• service resilience
• non obstetric ultrasound diagnostic services

Location

North West Surrey

Description

This contract is for the provision of a non-obstetric ultrasound service to eligible patients registered with a GP in Surrey Heartlands ICB North West Surrey Place. The NHS supports direct access to diagnostic tests as part of the drive to reduce waiting times, enable quicker diagnosis and improve choice for patients. Community based non obstetric ultrasound diagnostic services are supported by the Royal College of Radiologists and Royal College of General Practitioners as part of a service strategy to improve access to tests and ensure these tests are delivered at the right stage of the patient care pathway. The overarching aims of the service are: • To ensure patients receive the right test at the right time and in the most clinically appropriate local setting. • To ensure diagnostic testing is integrated across pathways of care, that the report and images follow the patient and that there is no unnecessary duplication of investigation. • To enable patients and referring clinicians to access a choice of provision • according to patient choice, clinical need and relevant care pathway. • To ensure diagnostic tests are appropriate, necessary, clinically correct, of high quality, with timely access and reporting.

Total Quantity or Scope

This notice is an intention to award a contract under the PSR, having followed a competitive process. The contract is for the value of £297840 over two years. The contract will expire on 8th June 2027. This contract is for the provision of a non-obstetric ultrasound service to eligible patients registered with a GP in Surrey Heartlands ICB North West Surrey Place. The service will aid early diagnostics and avoid the need for unnecessary referral to secondary care and support the provision of care closer to the patient’s home, where this will improve access. Where there are clear secondary care clinical pathways with ultrasound as a core component, and it is more appropriate for this diagnostic to be undertaken as an integral part of the clinical pathway, this will remain in secondary care. The service will offer a local, direct access non-obstetric ultrasound service with staff qualified to appropriate levels of skill and experience, using ultrasound equipment which complies with the guidance set by the Royal College of Radiologists. The service requires connection to NHS image transfer solutions, robust performance management systems and guarantees stringent levels of clinical governance. Diagnostic investigation will be delivered and a report provided to the referrer, which covers the description of the investigation and findings and, where appropriate, any recommendations which may include further imaging or investigation and advice on Primary Care management. The use of structured reporting will support local referrers in their options for further clinical management. The service will be fully quality assured, validated and supported by Surrey Heartlands ICB. The Provider will offer an excellent patient experience across the entire clinical and patient pathway. In order to measure this, the Provider has a robust mechanism for collecting patient feedback using approaches that reflect the diverse nature of their patient population. There is an expectation that the appointed provider will work with referrers and system partners within Surrey Heartlands North West Surrey Place to ensure service resilience for the benefit of patients.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85150000 - Medical imaging services

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Intention to Award Notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by midnight on 8th May 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award a contract under the competitive process of the PSR. Written representations should be sent to syheartlandsicb.contractsadmin@nhs.net. Award Decision makers: Evaluation Panel, Surrey Heartlands Commissioning, Contracting and Commercial Committee - Meeting in April 2025, Executive Team April 2025. No Conflicts of Interest were declared for this competitive process. The PSR Key Criteria were allocated in the following weightings: Key Criteria 1: Quality & Innovation 30% Key Criteria 2: Value 30% Key Criteria 3: Improving access, reducing health inequalities, and facilitating choice 20% Key Criteria 4: Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability 10% Key Criteria 5: Social Value 10% Key criteria 1 & 2 were of equal weighting due to an emphasis on the need for assurance regards service mode, patient safety, the calibre and qualifications of staff, governance, equipment, sustainability and cost implications. Key criteria 3 focused on premises, access and ability to mobilise the service. Questions sought assurance that providers understood and could respond to the needs of a diverse population and the access requirements that would be necessary. Key Criteria 4 and 5 were allocated a reduced weighting because the essence of Key Criteria 4 is focused on one aspect of delivery only, namely the ability to transfer images in a method that is entirely accessible by partner organisations with which this provider will work. Whilst if had a total total weighting that other Key Criteria the weighting of the individual question was high ensuring it was influential in evaluation. Key criteria 5 was allocated the minimum weighting but this was still considered adequate for bidders to demonstrate their credentials in this arena with a weighting influential enough to impact their status in the procurement process. The winning bidder achieved the highest scores in relation to Key Criteria 2, and was amongst the highest scoring bides for Key Criteria 3, 4 and 5.