Supply of Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits

Concepts

• swindon
• pharmaceutical products
• pre-prepared radiopharmaceutical kits
• kits
• radiopharmaceutical
• weston nhs foundation trust
• great western hospitals nhs foundation trust
• university hospitals bristol
• university hospitals bristol & weston nhs foundation trust
• gwh

Location

Swindon

Description

Supply of Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits to Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Total Quantity or Scope

The supply of Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits is geographically locked, as all kits must be produced and delivered within a strict timescale, to ensure the level of radioactive decay is of an acceptable amount. In order to ensure that a fair market assessment was conducted, a Prior Information Notice ("PIN") was released on 28th November 2023, on behalf of both SFT and GWH. Three suppliers provided a response, with only the two current incumbent providers (UHS & UHBW) opting to respond stating that they would like to be considered. For this reason, the participating authorities (SFT & GWH) were not able to run a competitive exercise, and therefore a direct award to University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust for the Supply of Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits, for the purposes of Nuclear Medicine Diagnostics, was chosen as the only available route for GWH.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 33600000 - Pharmaceutical products

Indicators

• Award on basis of price and quality.

Legal Justification

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ("GWH") awarded a contract under Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii), to University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust (hereafter referred to as "UHBW") in respect of the Supply of Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits, for a period of one (1) year, with no option to extend. This is to maintain continuation of the Nuclear Medicine service delivery for patients both currently receiving and due to receive treatment and/or diagnostics at GWH. This will also align this contract with a similar contract at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust for the Supply of Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits, provided by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. UHBW is the incumbent supplier for Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits at GWH and the new contract will ensure that the current service is maintained until the time a re-tender is required, without risk to patient care or the accumulation of cost and resource pressures. To award another supplier a temporary arrangement of this nature may result in the following:Trust Turnaround Times and Patient Care: Variations in turnaround time for the delivery of these kits, while new systems for ordering, receipting and payment are set up. Currently UHBW routes for the supply of Pre-Prepared Radiopharmaceutical Kits are established and consistent, with adequate governance surrounding Data Protection in place. Risking this could lead to increased turnaround times for the delivery of these kits, and kits being unnecessarily disposed of if an unsuitable level of radioactive decay has occurred. Furthermore, if a contract is not awarded to the contracting authorities' incumbent supplier, no other provider is currently able or willing to provide this service (as described within II.2.4).Packaging and Transport: New routes of transport for Pharmaceuticals would have to be set up. This would create uncertainties for both the Trust and the patients that existing processes could be upheld, including delivery times, delivery windows, care for packaging and prevention of breakages. Packaging requirements may also vary, leading to additional costs of purchase, and increased time to carry out alternative packaging requirements. Accreditation: A supplier of Radiopharmaceuticals would need to possess an appropriate license granted by the MHRA to enable them to supply radioisotopes, either in the form of a Manufacturers/importers License (MIA license) or a Manufacturer ‘specials’ licence (MS License). The time required to adequately review an alternative provider would further delay this process leading to a drop in patient care whilst Radiopharmaceutical Kits could not be obtained.:GWH has reviewed the factors described and considers that for the technical reasons listed, awarding to UHBW is the only reasonable solution as it mitigates the risk of a detrimental effect on the service and the accumulation of preventable cost and resource pressures until a re-tender can be undertaken.