Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Programme Phase 3 2021/22

Concepts

• runcorn
• health services
• england
• national health service commissioning board
• community pharmacy phase
• covid
• community pharmacies
• pharmacy contractor
• successful community pharmacies
• additional covid-19 vaccination capacity

Location

United Kingdom:

Description

The National Health Service Commissioning Board (which uses the operational name “NHS England”) is seeking to enter into local enhanced services arrangements with community pharmacies in geographical areas where NHS England identifies there is a need for additional COVID-19 vaccination capacity. Successful community pharmacies will provide COVID-19 vaccination services under a local enhanced services agreement at designated sites operated by the pharmacies.https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/publication/community-pharmacy-local-enhanced-service-specification-phase-3-coronavirus-vaccination/

Total Quantity or Scope

NHS is a global leader in achieving high levels of vaccination coverage, and this has been reflected in a hugely successful COVID-19 vaccination programme. Community pharmacy has played a critical role in the success of phase 1 (the vaccination of patient JCVI cohorts 1-9) and phase 2 (the vaccination of patient JCVI cohorts 10-12) of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Through their strong relationships in local places and neighbourhoods, community pharmacies have helped to tackle vaccine inequalities and improve vaccination take-up. The third phase of the COVID-19 vaccination programme will offer booster (with additional vaccine) for those at the highest risk, to maintain protection against the risk of severe illness, and continue to offer initial vaccinations to those Patients who did not take up or were previously not eligible to receive vaccination in phases 1 and 2. The service will be provided as a Local Enhanced Service (LES) pursuant to the Pharmaceutical Services (Advanced and Enhanced Services) (England) Directions 2013. The Community Pharmacy Phase 3 Site Designation Process document sets out the detail of how Pharmacy Contractor can submit expressions of interest for providing the LES and how Pharmacy Contractors who are able to provide the LES will be identified at a regional basis on the basis of site. The LES Agreement document sets out the requirements of service provision. A LES Agreement will be entered into between NHS England and a Pharmacy Contractor selected by NHS England via the Site Designation Process which is set out in the Community Pharmacy Phase 3 Site Designation Process document but only where there is a local population need for additional COVID-19 vaccination services and where NHS England considers the relevant Pharmacy Contractor is best placed to meet that need having applies the criteria, process and steps outlined in the Community Pharmacy Phase 3 Site Designation Process document. For the avoidance of doubt, this is a voluntary Contract Notice in the interests of achieving maximum transparency and sectoral awareness. NHS England is empowered to facilitate LES Agreements on a site by site basis pursuant to the Pharmaceutical Services (Advanced and Enhanced Services) (England) Directions 2013.The items of service payment of £12.58 per vaccination administered to a Patient

Renewal Options

NHS England may allow Pharmacy Contractors a new opportunity to submit expressions of interest depending on the requirements of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

CPV Codes

• 85100000 - Health services

Indicators

• This is a one-off contract (no recurrence)
• Options are available.
• Renewals are available.
• Professional qualifications are sought.
• Technical restrictions apply.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** This is a voluntary Contract Notice. LES Agreements are authorised pursuant to direction 14 of the Pharmaceutical Services (Advanced and Enhanced Services) (England) Directions 2013. In any event, the services in scope are healthcare services which fall under “social and other specific services” in Section 7.. All Pharmacy Contractors that submit Expressions of Interest will set out in Stage 1 of Designation Process (as set out in the Community Pharmacy Phase 3 Designation Process document) will then go through a prioritisation process with the application of locality specific criteria to identify Priority Sites which will then go through an assurance process. Any such Assured Sites will then be subject to an assessment of readiness preparation with NHS England. Where NHS England is so satisfied, the site will be approved and a LES Agreement offered. If NHS England considers that there is a need for additional COVID-19 vaccination services in a geographical area covered by the Pharmacy Contractor who submitted an Expression of Interest, NHS England may either publish an invitation to submit new Expressions of Interest with specific detail as to the specific requirements or revisit the Expressions of Interest originally submitted and progress other Pharmacy Contractors through the Designation Process again. There will be no maximum number of Pharmacy Contractors that may be offered a LES Agreement. Each LES Agreement is likely to be below the financial threshold for services.