Community Musculoskeletal (MSK) Assessment Triage & Treatment service for NHS South Tyneside CCG

North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is managing this procurement process for and on behalf of NHS South Tyneside CCG (the Contracting Authority).

The Contracting Authority proposes to commission a Community MSK Assessment Triage & Treatment Service covering South Tyneside and is inviting expressions of interest in this tender opportunity.

The overarching outcome of the service is to enhance the management of patients within primary care and actively manage the demand for secondary care services; ensuring patients have speedy access to appropriate treatment.

The aim of Community MSK Assessment Triage & Treatment Service is to:

Increase the percentage of patients, completing treatment, reporting high levels of patient satisfaction and confidence in the MSK service.

High number of patients self-managing their condition.

Provision of patient and carer education.

Transfer activity from an acute setting to the community.

Improve the clinical pathway by developing joint working between primary and secondary care providers and clinicians.

Increase the opportunities and management of patients in primary care without the need for referral.

A reduction in health inequalities through improved access.

Seek and act on the views of patients in planning change to the service.

Engage in research.

Increase conversion rates for surgery (for referrals from the service to secondary care).

The contract is for an initial 3 years plus the option to extend the contract for a period of 1 x 2 years at the discretion of the Contracting Authority subject to satisfactory financial and contractual performance.

Please note the deadline for submission of all tender returns is 12 noon on 29 January 2016.

A bidder event will be held on Wednesday 13 January 2016 at NHS South Tyneside CCG, Monkton Hall, Monkton Lane, Monkton Village, Jarrow, Tyne and Wear NE32 5NN between 10:00 -12:00 and 14:00 – 16:00. Attendance times will be confirmed on Monday 11 January 2016. Bidders will be provided with an overview of the aims and objectives of the new service, an overview of the tender documentation and procurement process. Further information regarding registration for this event can be located within Document 1 of the tender documentation.

NECS is utilising an electronic tendering tool to gather expressions of interest. Therefore, all communications will be conducted via the In-Tend portal, https://in-tendhost.co.uk/necs. It is free to register on the portal, which can be accessed at any time. A dedicated help-desk is available should potential providers have any queries and can be contacted on 0844 2728810 (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm) or via emailing [email protected].

Additional information: NHS South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is managing this procurement process for and on behalf of NHS South Tyneside CCG (the Contracting Authority). The Contracting Authority proposes to commission a Community MSK Assessment Triage & Treatment Service covering South Tyneside and is inviting expressions of interest in this tender opportunity. The basic principles of the Open Procurement route will be followed for this procurement to test the capacity, capability, and technical competence of tenderers in accordance with The Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended). Regulation 120 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 provides for a temporary exemption and saving for certain NHS procurements. The current Part B regime of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) and NHS (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) (No. 2) Regulations 2013(b) will continue to apply to the commissioning of these services until 18 April 2016.

It is anticipated that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 as amended by the Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (TUPE) may apply for this contract. Bidders are advised to form their own view on whether TUPE applies, obtaining their own legal advice and carrying out due diligence, it is the bidders responsibility to verify TUPE information with the incumbent service provider (details of which will be provided in the Tender Documentation). "Under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 the Contracting Authority must consider: (a) how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area where it exercises its functions, and (b) how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement Accordingly, the subject matter of the contract has been scoped to take into account the priorities of the Contracting Authority relating to economic, social, and environmental well-being. These priorities are described in the Invitation to Tender and are reflected in environmental and social characteristics in the evaluation criteria for the award of the contract.

Further information regarding registration for this event can be located within Document 1 of the tender documentation.

NECS is utilising an electronic tendering tool to gather expressions of interest. Therefore, all communications will be conducted via the In-Tend portal, https://in-tendhost.co.uk/necs. It is free to register on the portal, which can be accessed at any time. A dedicated help-desk is available should potential providers have any queries and can be contacted on 0844 2728810 (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm) or via emailing [email protected].