Optometric Enhanced Services

Concepts

• yeovil
• medical practice
• somerset
• optometric enhanced services
• optometric providers
• optician services
• delivery of these services
• local services
• ocular hypertension monitoring service
• healthcare services

Location

Somerset

Description

The contracts currently awarded to optometric providers for provision of three commissioned enhanced services, expire on 31 March 2021. The Commissioner intends to directly award contracts to the 30 existing providers across Somerset, to continue the delivery of these services for a period of 36 months to 31st March 2024. In support of the CCG's Recovery Plan, a Health and Care Strategy, 'Fit For My Future', has been developed will determine the services required in the future. The strategy is focused on putting national policy into practice and will inform the delivery models of the future to ensuring local services are financially stable, are of high quality and improve the health and wellbeing of the population. The indicative Annual Contract value which is split across 30 separate Optometry Providers (36 practice sites) within the boundaries of Somerset is circa £500,000 per annum.

Total Quantity or Scope

The contracts currently awarded to 30 optometric providers across Somerset provide the following Optometric Enhanced Services: • Acute Community Eye Care • Intra-Ocular Pressure Referral Refinement Service • Ocular Hypertension Monitoring Service These services are aimed at increasing access to acute eye care in the community and reducing unnecessary referrals to hospital eye care. Part of the service is aimed at the prompt diagnosis of high intra-ocular pressure in at risk patients. The contracts with these providers are due to expire on 31st March 2021 and the commissioner intends to directly award contracts to 30 existing providers across Somerset from 1st April 2021, to continue the delivery of these Services for a period of 36 months to 31st March 2024. The decision to award the three year contract supports alignment with the developing Fit For My Future strategy and public consultation, which will determine the services required in the future and the new contracting model supporting organised primary care. The CCG has already undertaken a review of all the enhanced services, and would not want to destabilise delivery of the services through undertaking procurement. All optometric practices provide a good quality service that meets the needs and expectation of the commissioner and patients. The commissioner has no concerns regarding the proposed providers' ability to deliver the service through to 31st March 2024. As a result of all the material factors noted above, the negotiated procedure without prior publication has been followed and justified under regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) 'competition is absent for technical reasons'. The indicative Annual Contract value which is split across 36 separate optometry practices within the boundaries of Somerset is circa £500,000 per annum. If you wish to see the breakdown by practice please follow the link within the contracts finder notice.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85120000 - Medical practice and related services
• 85160000 - Optician services

Indicators

• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

The Optometric Practice contracts for the three Local Enhanced Services expire on 31 March 2021 and the Commissioners intend to directly award the contracts to existing Optometric providers across Somerset from 1st April 2021 to continue the delivery of these Enhanced Services for a period of 36 months to 31st March 2024. Optometric Practices are able to provide all or some of these services. The services are: : • Acute Community Eye Care • Intra-Ocular Pressure Referral Refinement Service • Ocular Hypertension Monitoring Service The decision to award the three year contract is to ensure alignment with the developing Health and Care Strategy, which will determine the services required in the future and the new contracting model of primary care at scale. The CCG has already undertaken a review of all the enhanced services, and would not want to destabilise delivery of the services through undertaking procurement. The indicative annual contract value which is split across 30 separate Optometric providers within the boundaries of Somerset has a budget of circa £500,000 per annum. All Optometric Practices provide a good quality service that meets the needs and expectation of the Commissioner and Patients. The Commissioner has no concerns regarding the proposed provider's ability to deliver the service through to 31st March 2024. As a result of all of the material factors noted above, the Negotiated procedure without prior publication has been followed and justified under regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) 'competition is absent for technical reasons'.

Other Information

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77). The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77). The tendering process has been conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority ran a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services. Neither the inclusion of a selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Schedule 3 of the Regulations. The Contracting Authority has voluntarily observed the award decision notices provisions and held a 10 day standstill period as described in Regulation 86 of the Regulations. Deadline for lodging of appeals should be in accordance with Regulation 87 and Regulation 91 of the Regulations.