Published date: 15 April 2024

Open opportunity - This means that the contract is currently active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to fulfil the contract.


Closing: 5 June 2024, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Health services - 85100000

Location of contract

South East

Value of contract

£63,774,064

Procurement reference

C253273

Published date

15 April 2024

Closing date

5 June 2024

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 April 2025

Contract end date

31 March 2030

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

No

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No


Description

NHS England South East (NHSE) is seeking to commission a Provider(s) who have the capability and capacity to deliver Diabetic Eye Screening Programmes (DESP) across the South East region, in line with the specified requirements.

The procurement is divided into 5 lots within the South East as follows:
Lot 1: Kent and Medway (ICB Footprint)
Lot 2: Surrey Heartlands (ICB Footprint)
Lot 3: Hampshire and IOW (ICB Footprint)
Lot 4: Berkshire (Local Authority) and Frimley (ICB Footprint)
Lot 5: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire (Local Authority Footprint)

Providers may bid for one or all Lots. The Contracts will be for a term of 5 years, with the option to extend by 3 years, and services are planned to commence from 1st April 2025.

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 Diabetic Eye Screening Programme 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:
• focus on improving uptake, reducing inequalities and improving outcomes
• is accessible across all service elements
• Is engaged, engaging and integrated, working effectively with service users and stakeholders to ensure seamless and high quality care
• safe, effective, high quality, wiht robust processes along the pathway

• embeds a culture of quality, improvement and learning
• is well-led, managed and staffed

There are three key elements of service delivery, namely:
• routine digital screening - from 2025 and 2026 all eligible patients should be managed on 12 or 24 month intervals .
• Digital surveillance where more frequent screening of those individuals who may be at increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy but have not reached the threshold to be referred into the Hospital Eye Services (HES), as required.
• Slit lamp bio-microscopy (SLB) for those individuals where normal photography is inappropriate (e.g. those having cataracts).

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) will be introduced into the programme across England in line with national guidance.

Further information on the Diabetic Eye Screening Programme is available at;
https://www.gov.uk/topic/population-screening-programmes/diabetic-eye

The projected total contract values are as follows:
Lot 1: Kent and Medway - £17,755,303
Lot 2: Surrey Heartlands - £8,084,825
Lot 3: Hampshire and IOW - £16,695,800
Lot 4: Berkshire and Frimley - £11,311,121
Lot 5: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire - £9,927,015

TUPE is likely to apply to this procurement.


More information

Additional text

This exercise is being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).

Interested providers will be able to view the opportunity and access the tender documentation via the 'Live Opportunities' list on the e-procurement system, Atamis, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome


How to apply

Follow the instructions given in the description or the more information section.


About the buyer

Address

Premier House, 60 Caversham Road,
Reading
RG1 7EB
United Kingdom

Email

scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net