Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS England
7-8 Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1 4AP
Contact
Kurtis O'Sullivan
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
West Midlands NHS Breast Screening Programme
Reference number
AG24003
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
*This is a Prior Information Notice*
NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit (AGCSU) on behalf of NHS England (The Commissioner) would like to notify the market of a potential upcoming opportunity to provide the NHS Breast Screening Programme delivery across the West Midlands.
All interested providers are invited to participate in an early market assessment questionnaire.
Please note the deadline for expressions of interest is 12:00PM (Mid-day) on Friday 13th September 2024.
Commissioners would like to invite feedback from the potential market on this proposal of the commissioning of the NHS Breast Screening Programme across the West Midlands. Your feedback will aim to:
a. Provide Market intelligence and viability in this screening area.
b. Ensure market feedback and opportunities are considered in the future plans of the
commissioning of the NHS Breast Screening Programme in the West Midlands.
c. Highlight Market opportunities, risks and challenges.
d. Sought Commissioners understanding of the future contracting and commissioning and
development of the West Midlands Breast Screening Programme.
e. Sought market innovation on potential models of delivery for Breast Screening in the
West Midlands.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The aim of the Breast Screening Programme is to reduce mortality from breast cancer by diagnosing cancer at an early stage when treatment is more successful, leading to earlier detection, appropriate referral, and improved outcomes.
This will be achieved by delivering an evidence-based, population-based routine screening programme and very high-risk evidence-based programme which:
• Identifies the eligible population and ensures efficient delivery with optimal coverage within the routine programme and authorises appropriate referrals within the very high-risk programme feeding back screening outcomes to referrers to ensure Service Users referred are effectively managed
•Is safe, effective, of a high quality, externally and independently monitored, and quality assured
•Is delivered and supported by suitably trained, competent, and qualified clinical and non-clinical staff who, where relevant, participate in recognised ongoing continuing medical education (CME), continuous professional development (CPD) and external quality assurance (EQA) schemes
•Has audit and service evaluation embedded in the service
•Maximises screening sensitivity and specificity and minimises the number of radiation induced cancers by detecting early stage cancers with the lowest practicable radiation dose
•Minimises the referral and biopsy of Service Users who do not have breast disease to reduce the adverse impact (physical/psychological/clinical) of unnecessary investigations
•Has a seamless pathway at the interface between screening, diagnosis and a treatment pathway that ensures Service Users are referred promptly and safely to treatment services
•Focusses all aspects of screening pathway delivery with an emphasis to reduce inequalities experienced by the Core20PLUS5 population
two.2.14) Additional information
It is the expectation of the commissioner that providers will review the programme guidance in order to inform their responses to the pre-market engagement questionnaire, please see links below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breast-screening-leading-a-service/breast-screening-best-practice-guidance-on-leading-a-breast-screening-service#organisation-of-screening-services
Breast screening: best practice guidance on leading a breast screening service - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Breast screening: guidance for organising a Very High Risk (VHR) screening programme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Protocols for the surveillance of women at higher risk of developing breast cancer - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Breast screening: programme overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
In addition to this providers will also have access to the Service Specification.
Please note the Contract Notice Publish date is only indicative at this time and is subject to change.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 December 2024
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is purely an early engagement exercise; any subsequent procurement will be advertised separately and all organisations wanting to participate will need to respond to the procurement advertisement as and when published.
This is a market testing exercise and does not commit the Commissioners to carry out a procurement process. Current services will remain in place during this period in line with existing contracts and service level agreements.
The procurement will be advertised in accordance with the Provider Selection Regime(PSR) Notice. The awarding of this contract will be subject to the HealthCare Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 will not apply to this award.
The Contracting Authority will be using an eTendering system for this market engagement exercise. To express an interest and access the questionnaire go to the ‘Live Opportunities’ list on thee-tendering portal at the following link:https://health-family-contract-search.secure.force.com/?searchtype=Projects and register your interest.
You can search for the opportunity by entering the following contract reference: C284842 - EOI: Breast Screening (West Midlands)
Please note this PIN closes 12:00PM (Mid-day) on Friday 13th September 2024.