Independent Sector Collaboration in Diagnostic Service Transformation

Tender description

Background: The 10 Year Health Plan for England (10YHP) provides a breadth of opportunities for the Independent Sector (IS) to partner with the NHS - from providing the diagnostics that can support neighbourhood healthcare to the innovations that can enhance diagnostics’ productivity, and from the testing that can support prevention to the means to enable effective remote monitoring. The Independent Sector is also in a strong position to support the Government’s ambition to return to elective constitutional standards, a key priority for the NHS over the next 4 years. For referral time to treatment ambitions to be achieved, 99% of patients will need to receive a diagnostic test within 6 weeks by March 2029. This market engagement is an opportunity to understand the IS offer so that we can inspire systems and trusts to work in partnership to achieve elective recovery and enable the ambition of the 10YHP. Diagnostic demand and capacity modelling estimates that 35% of the capacity required between 2026/27 and 2028/29 needs to come from the IS. This equates to an estimated additional 2 million tests and could be achieved through either capacity or productivity initiatives, including digital infrastructure and tools. The responses received to this preliminary engagement will support us in bringing together needs at local level with industry offers and expertise. This engagement covers three distinct types of IS involvement: • Where Trusts or networks are using national capital to procure from the independent sector e.g. from digital technology suppliers for digital diagnostic investments • Where Trusts work with the IS to bring together IS capital with NHS revenue to build and run new diagnostic capacity e.g. a CDC or provision of diagnostic equipment • Where Trusts work with the IS to procure MedTech or other innovations While these involve local procurements, we are exploring how these procurements could be coordinated nationally to reduce the burden on local NHS teams, streamline processes and secure economies of scale. This notice does not constitute a call for competition. The aim of this engagement is to inform future NHS and IS partnerships. How to participate: Interested organisations are invited to complete the Collaboration Questionnaire linked here: https://forms.office.com/e/wgFF6Nn80N For further guidance on how to complete the questionnaire and information about the market engagement please use this link: https://atamis-1928.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/0O000000rwim/a/Sr000001Pk5W/boqTvD_Csj1xHZSglhEXBj4oAPDgKkclxagEJazb.FA The guidance also contains links to additional supporting materials, including demand modelling information and case studies of IS working with the NHS. The deadline for submission is 12:00pm, Thursday 18th December 2025. Please send any questions to england.diagnostics1@nhs.net – please note, to manage our capacity, this inbox should not be used for any correspondence other than questions.