NHS England South West - Market Engagement - Diabetic Eye Screening Programmes for Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)

Concepts

• health and social work
• bristol
• gloucestershire
• somerset
• cornwall
• devon
• north somerset
• south gloucestershire
• diabetes
• routine digital screening

Location

Description

This notice is placed as a PIN to facilitate engagement with potential providers and relates only to pre-procurement market engagement. NHSE South West (The Commissioner) seeks to re-commission 5 Diabetic Eye Screening Programmes (DESP) to deliver screening to the eligible populations in the below geographies: - Cornwall and Isles of Scilly - Devon - Somerset - Gloucestershire - BNSSG Consideration is being given to procuring separate contracts, subject to the outcome of market and stakeholder engagement. The Commissioner invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced providers to provide the services in line with strict national standards and guidelines. The eligible population includes patients over the age of 12 diagnosed with diabetes and registered with, or eligible to be registered with a GP, as well as individuals within prisons, secure units and the armed forces. The aim of the DESP is to reduce the risk of sight loss amongst people with diabetes by the prompt identification and effective treatment if necessary of sight threatening diabetic retinopathy. This will be achieved by delivering an evidence-based service that: •Identifies the eligible population and ensures effective delivery with maximum coverage •Is safe, effective, high quality, externally and independently monitored, and quality assured •Leads to earlier detection, appropriate referral, effective treatment and improved outcomes •Is delivered and supported by suitably trained, competent and qualified clinical and non-clinical staff who, where relevant, participate in recognised ongoing continuing medical education (CME), continuous professional development (CPD) and quality assurance (QA) schemes •Has audit embedded in the service •Works effectively with other stakeholders to ensure the care pathway is smooth and efficient There are 3 key elements of service delivery, namely: •Call/recall for all people with diabetes invited for routine digital screening; this is currently undertaken on an annual basis, but screening intervals are likely to extend to 2 years for people at low risk during the contract term in line with national guidance •Digital surveillance where individuals need more frequent screening •Slit lamp bio-microscopy (SLB) for those individuals where normal photography is inappropriate (e.g. those having cataracts)

CPV Codes

• 85000000 - Health and social work services

Indicators

• Contract is suitable for SMEs.
• Contract is suitable for VCOs.

Other Information

Further information on the DESP is available at;https://www.gov.uk/topic/population-screening-programmes/diabetic-eye The Services will be commissioned using the national service specification for DESP Services. The 23/24 national service spec, inc. Schedules 4 & 6 is available within the e-procurement system, Atamis. Some local tailoring is likely to be made to these documents and published as part of the final procurement documentation. If you are interested in this opportunity, please register on Atamis (details at the end of this notice), and submit a completed market engagement questionnaire by 12 noon 27/04/2023. The contracts are due to commence on 1st April 2024. The contract values have not been finalised. However, the current annual contract values for 2022/2023, based upon achieving the minimum acceptable 75% uptake, are provided below for indicative purposes: - Cornwall and Isles of Scilly £1,028,930 - Devon £2,214,103 - Somerset £1,036,922 - Gloucestershire £1,092,286 - BNSSG £1,420,622 These values are subject to change depending on the financial mechanism adopted for these contracts and due to the finance and business rules in the NHS Operating Framework. The contract values could also reduce during the contract term owing to the anticipated national changes to screening frequency for low risk individuals. The Commissioner seeks responses to a market engagement questionnaire, the aim of which is to determine the level of provider interest in this opportunity and obtain feedback from the market to help inform re-commissioning. This may be followed by a pre-procurement market briefing event, though arrangements are being confirmed. Details of any event undertaken, including confirmed date/s, will be provided to those who express an interest. Providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access, you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page. To register an expression of interest, you will also need to complete, attach and return the Market Engagement Questionnaire via the messaging function on Atamis. Expressions of interest must be received by 12 noon 27th April 2023. If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and to be able to submit your expression of interest / market engagement questionnaire. This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West Commissioning Support Unit on behalf of the Commissioners. This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit NHS England or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. NHS England will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. 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). e-procurement system link https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome Market engagement questionnaire to be completed in order to express an interest DESP SW Market Engagement Questionnaire FV.docx