Carpal Tunnel Services in North East Essex

NHS North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) invited suitably qualified service providers to submit tenders for the provision of Carpal Tunnel Services in North East Essex to establish a single community provider. This will be a Community Service provided under a separate community contract. The Provider will receive all North East Essex referrals into this community service and there will be a community fixed price tariff i.e. non Payment by Results (PbR). Referrals will be made by North East Essex GP Practices, the community physiotherapy service and the Clinical Assessment Service. In line with the Department of Health Patient Choice Framework, as a community service is available, there will be no legal requirement for a patient to be offered a choice of provider. GP practices will make the initial assessment and provide the first stage of conservative treatment i.e. wrist brace (where deemed appropriate) in primary care. Practices that are clinically competent will also administer steroid injections as the second stage of conservative treatment where appropriate. Practices recorded by the CCG as not being able to administer injections will refer patients to this community service for one course of treatment only (unless exceptional circumstances such as surgery is not an option).

Following receipt of an injection, patients will be discharged back to their GP. If the GP believes that the conservative treatment has not been effective following the prescribed period, the GP may make a separate referral for Carpal surgery. Where following assessment by this service, the patient is found to have more complex needs and requires referral to an acute provider, this Service will make the referral to the provider.

The CCG has sought to commission a consistent, timely, high quality, flexible and accessible service to patients that will focus on patient outcomes.

The CCG has sought to commission a Community Provider that can deliver this NHS non-urgent clinical pathway through: -Clinical assessment and treatment in line with NICE guidelines -Accredited clinicians with established peer review programme -Provision of appropriate CQC compliant premises and facilities -Access to Electromyograph (EMGs) tests where further diagnosis is required -Assessment and treatment offered in line within defined response times -Ability to run ad hoc clinics in a community setting for assessment and conservative treatment -Flexible operating times that will accommodate working patients -Increased self-management through provision of education and advice -A robust programme of planned clinical audits to demonstrate planned cycles of continual measurement and improvement -Package prices on a cost per case basis via a local tariff i.e. consultation, assessment, procedure and follow-ups as necessary.

This notice is linked to the original advert referenced 2021-042232.

Additional information: The aggregate contract term will be for 7 years (an initial 60 months, with the option to extend by a further 24 months).

You are advised that the £2,890,448 value relates to the 7 years (5 years plus option to extend by 2 years). The maximum contract value for the 5-year contract is £2,024,585.

The services which this process relates fall within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended by the Public Procurement Amendments, etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 ("The Regulations"). As such, the CCG does not intend to hold itself bound by any of the Regulations, save those applicable to Schedule 3 Services.