NHS Devon - Audiology Specialist Services - Eastern Locality

Concepts

• devon
• ent or audiologist
• other rehabilitation services
• improved service user
• other specialist services
• different service providers
• high quality, efficient services
• ent inpatient and outpatient services
• the standard community service
• the icb commissioned specialist services

Location

Eastern Locality of Devon

Geochart for 1 buyers and 1 suppliers

NHS Devon Integrated Care Board

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Description

The specialised audiology service is a comprehensive specialised service for adults and children experiencing hearing and communication difficulties who would benefit from assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. The ICB commissioned specialist services will accept referrals direct from health professionals in the community via DRSS and hospitals for all aspects of hearing care for adults for whom the standard community service (over 55 Routine Adult Hearing Aid Service) is not suitable, and children. This will range from babies of a few days old and their families to the elderly. The service includes diagnosis of, quantification of degree, and rehabilitation of hearing loss, tinnitus or balance impairment. It also includes provision of supporting services for patients who may be considering or have bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants in addition to providing audiological support to ENT inpatient and outpatient services, as commissioned by those service providers. NHS Devon intends to contract for the Services using the latest version of the NHS Standard Contract. The contract term will be for a duration of 5 years and will commence on 1st April 2025. The total contract value is £9,760,312. This notice is placed to set out NHS Devon's (the Commissioner's) intention to award a contract under the Competitive Process of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). This is an existing service being awarded to a new provider. This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.

Total Quantity or Scope

The aim of the specialised audiology service was to commission a comprehensive specialised service for adults and children experiencing hearing and communication difficulties who would benefit from assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. … The service will also be expected to work closely with ENT and other specialist services to establish care pathways that maximize quality while reducing reliance on medically qualified staff, for example in the glue ear pathway for children. Where agreed, such pathways will be included in this specification and a contract variation order completed. It is expected that care pathways will be unified across the ICB regardless of different service providers. The vision for people with hearing problems is for them to receive high quality, efficient services, with short waiting times and high responsiveness to the needs of local communities, free at the point of access. Key principles of the service is to: • Improve public health and occupational health focus on hearing loss; • Reduce prevalence of avoidable permanent hearing loss; • Encourage early identification, diagnosis and management of hearing loss through improved service user and professional education; • Provide person-centred care, and respond to information and psychosocial needs, including for the effect on partners (and family) of living with poor hearing; • Support communication needs by providing timely signposting to lip reading classes and assistive technologies and other rehabilitation services; • Promote inclusion and participation of people who are deaf or hard of hearing; • Compliance with clinical guidance and good practice; • Improve the service through research and development and the adoption of new evidence based technologies and practices. NHS Devon intends to contract for the Services using the latest version of the NHS Standard Contract. The contract term will be for a duration of 5 years and will commence on 1st April 2025. The service will be provided between 1st April 2025 and 31st March 2030. The total contract value is £9,760,312.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85121240 - ENT or audiologist services
• 33185000 - Hearing aids

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** Decision Makers: NHS Devon PSR Steering Group. Approval was granted on 25th November 2024 via the NHS Devon PSR Steering Group to procure the Specialist Audiology Service for the Eastern Locality and ensure compliance with NHS Devon's procurement policy. The Key Criteria and Evaluation Methodology was reviewed and approved by the NHS Devon PSR Steering Group. The Decision-Making record was approved by the NHS Devon PSR Steering Group on 22nd January 2025 and formally signed by the Director of Finance for Strategy. No conflicts of interest were declared. The decision to award this contract in line with the Competitive Process was based on evaluation against the basic selection criteria, which were assessed on a "Pass" / "Fail" basis, and the 5 key criteria (see below), which were scored using a 0-5 assessment criteria. NHS Devon considered the five key criteria as stated in the Regulations when applying the Competitive Process and authorised the following weightings: - Quality and Innovation (48%) - Value (14%) - Social Value (10%) - Integration, collaboration and service sustainability (14%) - Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice (14%) The Quality and Innovation was weighted heaviest to recognise the importance of having a service that results in increased quality and innovation for NHS Devon. The criteria tested and ensured an accessible service will be provided that is aligned to appropriate guidance, best practice and the local and national evidence base. The service will link with interdependent services. Service delivery will continue to change, develop and provide innovative responses to meet the changing profile of the population. Quality was also tested to determine how Clinical Governance is core to the service, Patient Safety and compliance with current safeguarding legislation. Value, Integration, collaboration and service sustainability and Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice were weighted equally at 14%. The value criteria tested that the service would deliver value for money and efficiencies. Integration, collaboration and service sustainability considered effective and relevant partnership working with all stakeholders and the electronic process for transmitting patient information to referring or subsequent treating clinician. Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice ensured equitable access will be given to audiology services, with a particular focus on addressing inequalities among different patient populations. It also considered the personalised care plans that will be developed and shared with the service users. Social value was weighted at 10% and considered the assessment of policies and practices aligning with moving towards net zero by 2045 and supporting and promoting health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce. The bids were assessed and evaluated on the basis of most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) against the key criteria. At conclusion of the evaluation process, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust submitted the highest scoring bid and were recommended as the winning bidder to the NHS Devon PSR Steering Group. 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 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 5th February 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 scwcsu.clinical.procurement@nhs.net