NHS England and NHS Improvement South East - Pilot Knee Surgery Major Revision Centre

NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) South East is piloting a new funding approach for Knee Revision Networks. This work is being taken forward to support the implementation of Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) recommendations aimed at improving clinical quality by delivering revision knee surgery via clinical networks on a regional basis. The national pricing team have identified funding from tariff to fund networks hosted by Major Revision Centres (MRC), and NHSE/I are piloting this approach initially with two providers.

The second phase will be during 2022/23 when NHSE/I will pilot one additional MRC.

In the South East between April 2017 and March 2020, 2,126 knee revision procedures were carried out. This is an average of 709 per year. NHSE/I estimate there will be around 400 knee revisions in Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) during 2022/23, and so are looking for a third MRC in the KSS area.

NHSE/I seek Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from providers who would like to be considered as the third MRC pilot. The requirements of an MRC pilot are described within the attached service specification.

A two-part funding approach has been developed to support the pilots consisting of a core payment for activity and complexity payment for the MRCs.

a. Core payment: NHS England Specialised Commissioning will fund to orthopaedic and trauma services for activity based on core national tariff.

b. MDT and complexity payment: designated MRC pilots will be paid an up-front block payment of £250k (full year effect) to set up and manage an MDT service for their local network of providers.

c. Mobilisation payment: designated MRC pilots will be paid a one-off up-front block payment of £300k. This funding must be spent specifically on the set up and running of the MRC revision knee service to ensure compliance with national published revision knee standards (called BOASTs) and should be directed by a locally appointed Revision Knee Lead.

EOIs received will be used to help NHSE/I finalise their commissioning and contracting approach for this service.

A briefing event for interested parties and other providers in the networks (i.e. Revision Units and Primary Arthroplasty Units), has been arranged between 1.00pm and 3.00pm on Friday 8th April 2022. Please keep this time free. Further details will be provided prior to the event

This PIN as a call for competition is initially published as a notice for expressions of interest. The Commissioner may then choose to proceed directly to a procurement process with parties who have responded to the notice and there shall be no further notice published.

The contract will be awarded on a block basis at this point, however, should national changes in funding approach be introduced the provider must be prepared to work with the commissioner to assess any impact and work collaboratively to safely implement any such alterations during the life of the contract.

Additional information: Should NHSE/I proceed to a selection process it is likely to consist of 2 stages, although the final approach will be determined following the briefing event: Stage 1 is a shortlisting stage; the aim of this stage is predominantly to test the capability and capacity of potential Providers and to identify whether there is more than one capable provider Stage 2 will either be a: (a) competitive process (if more than one capable provider is identified at Stage 1) which may involve dialogue and will involve assessment of bids against published evaluation criteria and weightings; or (b) collaborative "Assurance Process" with a single provider (if only one capable provider is identified at Stage 1). Both approaches will involve evidence being considered by subject matter experts and assessed against critical success factors and expected minimum standards.

This selection process is being carried out by NHS SCW on behalf of the Commissioners.

To express an interest you will need to complete the attached questionnaire and return, via email, to [email protected]

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services. Neither the inclusion of a Bidder selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Directive or Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Directive or Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Annex XIV of the Directive / Schedule 3 of the Regulations. The Contracting Authority intends to voluntarily observe the award decision notices provisions and 10 day standstill period described in Regulation 86 of the Regulations.