Direct Access Non-Obstetric Ultrasound (Sandwell & West Birmingham CCG) Award Notice

Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG are looking to award a single contract to a single provider or entity such as a consortium or prime contractor/lead provider for this service. Under this model, the commissioner enters into a contract with a provider (the prime contractor or lead provider). That contract allocates risk and reward between the commissioner and the prime contractor. The prime contractor then sub-contracts specific roles and responsibilities (and allocates risk associated with their performance) to other providers. The prime contractor remains responsible to the commissioner for the delivery of the entire service, and for the co-ordination of its ‘supply chain’ (i.e. its sub-contractor providers) in order to ensure that it can and does deliver that entire service. The prime contractor is likely to be a provider of clinical services itself, but it could sub-contract all but the co-ordination role. (NHS Standard Contract 2014/15 Technical Guidance) The overarching aims of the Community Direct Access Non-Obstetric Ultrasound service are: •To ensure Patients receive the right test at the right time and in the most clinically appropriate local setting; •To ensure diagnostic testing is integrated across pathways of care, that the report and images follows the Patient and that there is no unnecessary duplication of investigation; •To enable patients and referring clinicians to access a choice of provision according to patient choice, clinical need and relevant care pathway; and •To ensure diagnostic tests are appropriate, necessary, clinically correct, of high quality, with timely access and reporting. •To develop local service provision as part of a diagnostic commissioning plan which aims to improve access and choice for Patients. •To improve patient satisfaction through the commissioning of a redesigned service that acts on patient feedback Ultrasound investigations should be available for the following: •Abdomen •Pelvis •Urological system (e.g. kidney, bladder) •Musculoskeletal (e.g. shoulders, knees) •Prostate (excluding trans-rectal scanning) •Vascular •Lumps (e.g. lipoma, fibroma, ganglion) •Endocrine (e.g. thyroid, adrenals etc.) The service will provide a scan, save images and report the results of investigations to the referring GP within 48 hours of patient attendance. Scans should be stored electronically at the provider’s main storage site. If required at a later date e.g. by secondary care, providers will be expected to release and send scans to the relevant location via connection to an NHS image transfer solution. The service will be expected to deliver community based ultrasound investigations within 2 weeks of GP referral The contract period will be 3 years with an option to extend for a further 2 years Indicative activity is 25,000 scans per annum.