AQP Adult Direct Access MSK Physiotherapy service and First Contact Practitioner (FCP) MSK Assessment Service

Concepts

• health services
• windsor
• aqp adult direct access msk physiotherapy service
• service standards
• aqp adult direct access msk physiotherapy
• pre-existing services
• msk assessment service
• aqp provider
• an aqp adult direct access msk physiotherapy service
• directly

Location

Windsor

Description

NHS Frimley ICB ("the Commissioner") sought to commission Healthshare Ltd to provide an AQP Adult Direct Access MSK Physiotherapy service and First Contact Practitioner (FCP) MSK Assessment Service, for patients in the North-East Hampshire & Farnham geographical locality of Frimley ICB. AQP Adult Direct Access MSK Physiotherapy service: Patient population covered is North-East Hamsphire and Farnham place. Referrals are via GP. The referring GPs prioritise patients as either routine or urgent. The provider carries out an initial face-to-face clinical assessment with the patient, during which a treatment plan is discussed and agreed. For referrals accepted into the service, a package of care is provided consisting of the necessary treatment required to meet the individual clinical needs of the patient. This may include but is not limited to: advice & education, provision of literature, acupuncture, manual therapy, electrotherapy, exercise programmes, soft tissue mobilisation or back care advice. Follow-ups are provided. Group exercise programmes are permitted as part of the treatment. First Contact Practitioner (FCP) MSK Assessment Clinic: A community-based physiotherapy service benefitting patients with musculoskeletal conditions, who are able to be assessed and treated by a physiotherapist without an initial GP appointment. The service is delivered from participating GP Practice locations within the North-East Hampshire and Farnham locality of Frimley ICB. Patients with musculoskeletal conditions will be seen and assessed by the extended scope practitioner (ESP) who will make good use of pre-existing services such as exercises courses. Patients would expect to be seen within five days, preferably within one to two days of them first contacting the practice. Following assessment the ESP will, as appropriate: • Treat or advise on the day and provide a suitable exercise sheet and management plan • Recommend a locally available exercise course • Refer on to the existing AQP Provider for an appropriate course of treatment. • Perform a joint injection (knee, shoulder, hand or wrist) working under a protocol agreed with Salus. • Refer for imaging (x-ray, ultrasound, MRI) subject to countersignature by a GP • Refer to a secondary care orthopaedic consultant subject to countersignature by a GP • Identify problems that are more likely to have a cause which comes under the heading of rheumatology and request appropriate blood tests using a locally agreed protocol. These cases will be discussed with a GP • Identify any "red flag" symptoms, and discuss with the duty doctor on the day.

Total Quantity or Scope

NHS Frimley ICB ("the Commissioner") sought to commission an AQP Adult Direct Access MSK Physiotherapy service and First Contact Practitioner (FCP) MSK Assessment Service. A summary of the purposes and objectives of the services are below. … • Identify any "red flag" symptoms and discuss with the duty doctor on the day. The Commissioner is directly awarding a contract to the existing provider Healthshare Ltd in accordance with the criteria outlined in Regulation (9) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The total value of the contract for the initial one-year contract term is £144,234.83. The full lifetime contract value (one year + optional one year extension) is £289,335.07. The one-year contract period will commence on the 1st April 2024. This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

Award Detail

Renewal Options

Option to extend by up to 1 year

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85100000 - Health services

Indicators

• Options are available.
• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

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 25th July 2024. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Other Information

Evidence that Healthshare have satisfied the existing 23/24 contract to a sufficient standard according to the detail outlined in the contract: they provided all of the required documentation, information and policies for the existing contract. They have followed the contractual service specification, not deviated from Frimley ICB Safeguarding requirements, charged the correct local prices as per the contract, issued invoices correctly in accordance with the Frimley ICB process, complied with Quality reporting requirements, and followed Schedule 6A reporting requirements. They have complied with/not fallen foul of the 23/24 NHS Standard Contract (Shorter Form) Service Conditions, including Service Conditions in relation to the following: service standards, co-operation, information requirements, safeguarding, payment terms and quality requirements. They have also complied with/not fallen foul of the 23/24 Shorter Form General Conditions, including those relating to: liability & indemnity, assignment & sub-contracting, and Information Governance. The new contracting arrangements are based on a rollover of the previous contracting arrangements/schedules which the provider has already satisfied/complied with to a high standard, and so the provider is highly likely to continue to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard. 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 decision makers by Thursday 25th July 2024. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. The Commissioner made the decision of directly awarding the incumbent provider Healthshare Ltd in accordance with the following five criteria outlined in Regulation (9) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. • Quality and innovation • Value • Integration, collaboration, and service sustainability • Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice • Social value It has been advised that Healthshare Ltd has the evidenced ability to deliver the activity required to meet service requirements within the required region and that can deliver to the tight timescale. A direct award to Healthshare Ltd would be appropriate and present the best value for the Commissioner in this circumstance. No declared conflicts or potential conflicts of interest were identified during the decision-making process. Representations should be sent to scwcsu.cbprocurement@nhs.net.