Community Ultrasound Services for North-East Hampshire and Farnham Patients

Description

NHS Frimley ICB ("the Commissioner") sought to commission provision to provide Community Ultrasound Services for patients in the North-East Hampshire and Farnham geographical locality. The service provides direct access non-obstetric ultrasounds to eligible patients, including pre-appointment communication with patients, diagnostic investigation and a report being sent to the referrer, which covers not only the description of the investigation and the findings, but also where appropriate covers any recommendations for further imaging or investigation and advice on management. The aim of the service is to aid early diagnostics and avoid the need for unnecessary referral to secondary care, or to support the shift of activity into a primary care setting, where this will improve access. Referrals into the service are made by GPs or Clinical Assessment Services. Frimley ICB has followed PSR Direct Award C for the contract to which this notice relates. Lot 1: NHS Frimley ICB ("the Commissioner") sought to commission provision to provide Community Ultrasound Services for patients in the North-East Hampshire and Farnham geographical locality. The service provides direct access non-obstetric ultrasounds to eligible patients, including pre-appointment communication with patients, diagnostic investigation and a report being sent to the referrer, which covers not only the description of the investigation and the findings, but also where appropriate covers any recommendations for further imaging or investigation and advice on management. The aim of the service is to aid early diagnostics and avoid the need for unnecessary referral to secondary care, or to support the shift of activity into a primary care setting, where this will improve access. Referrals into the service are made by GPs or Clinical Assessment Services. Frimley ICB has followed PSR Direct Award C for the contract to which this notice relates. The total expected value of the contract for the initial 1-year contract term is £673,523 The optional 1-year extension expected value of the contract is £673,523 Therefore, the full expected lifetime contract value (1yr +1yr) is £1,347,046. The payment mechanism under the contract is cost-per-case, and so the actual value of the contract will depend on actual activity levels. The contract period will commence on 01 April 2026. From 01 April 2026, NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board will cease to exist as a statutory commissioning body as a result of NHS organisational restructuring, with all commissioning responsibilities for this service transferring to NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board. This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners. Additional information: Evidence that InsideVue have satisfied the existing 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 applicable 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 applicable 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 will highly be likely to be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard.