Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS England
South West House, Blackbrook Park Avenue
Taunton
TA1 2PE
Contact
Hannah Morley
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKK23 - Somerset
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.england.nhs.uk/south/
Buyer's address
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
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
Provision of a Dental Digital Referral Solution for the South West - Market Engagement
Reference number
C220732
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This notice is placed as a PIN to facilitate engagement with potential providers and relates only to pre-procurement market engagement.
The Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in the South West region are seeking to commission and implement a digital solution for end-to-end dental referrals across the South West, and would like to determine the level of market interest in the provision of these services.
The following areas are included in the initial scope:
- Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW)
- Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- Devon
- Somerset
Dorset already has a dental digital referral solution in place as part of a prior arrangement with the NHS England South East region, and is out of scope at this point in time. Should this position change in the future, Dorset ICB have indicated that they would be looking to join the South West arrangement.
Gloucestershire is not included in the scope at this point.
The Commissioners are seeking a single end-to-end digital solution for the in-scope areas of the region, able to link seamlessly with existing systems used by all Dental provider types, and useable by non-dental professionals, such as SEND and LAC staff who may need to refer into dental services.
If you are interested in taking part in market engagement for this opportunity, please register on the e-procurement system, Atamis (details at the end of this notice), and submit a completed provider market engagement questionnaire by 12 noon on 20th November 2023.
This exercise is being supported by NHS England South West and being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK - South West (England)
Main site or place of performance
Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW)
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Devon
Somerset
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This notice is placed as a PIN to facilitate engagement with potential providers and relates only to pre-procurement market engagement.
The Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in the South West region are seeking to commission and implement a digital solution for end-to-end dental referrals across the South West.
The following areas are included in the initial scope:
- Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW)
- Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- Devon
- Somerset
Dorset already has a dental digital referral solution in place as part of a prior arrangement with the NHS England South East region, and is out of scope at this point in time. Should this position change in the future, Dorset ICB have indicated that they would be looking to join the South West arrangement.
Gloucestershire is not included in the scope at this point.
The Commissioners are seeking a single end-to-end digital solution for the in-scope areas of the region, able to link seamlessly with existing systems used by all Dental provider types, and useable by non-dental professionals, such as SEND and LAC staff who may need to refer into dental services.
The aims of the service are to improve the dental referral pathway by:
- Providing clinicians with a single way of making referrals to primary, secondary or community dental services
- Improving the quality of referrals in order to support effective triage and treatment provision
- Enabling patients to access dental care in a timely manner
- Improving overall efficiency of the referral process
- Providing accurate referral information to support clinical service evaluation, and future commissioning and development
- Achieving ongoing value for money
The objectives of the service are to:
- Support referrals across all provider types, including private dental providers who wish to refer into NHS provision, and onward referrals, such as from a hospital to a community service, or vice versa
- Reduce the number of inappropriate referrals or referrals with missing information
- Help with identifying areas of training/educational need and facilitating a feedback loop to clinicians to support them making future referrals
- Improve levels of patient and clinical confidence and satisfaction with the referral process
- Provide information which can inform patient choice (e.g. distances and waiting times)
- Allow digital clinical images to be sent with referrals, in a way which is secure
- Track all referrals to ensure no unnecessary delays
- Provide providers and commissioners with live information (via a dashboard, for example) of the status of all referrals
Further information on the requirements of the digital solution is available within the attachment area of the e-procurement system, Atamis. Please refer to the Word document, titled 'Dental Digital Referral Solution Information Pack'.
The Commissioner seeks responses to a market engagement questionnaire, the aim of which is to determine the level of provider interest in this opportunity and obtain feedback from the market to help inform commissioning. This may be followed (subject to the level of market interest received) by pre-procurement market engagement events, including for example, 1:1 meetings with the Commissioners. Arrangements for these events are being confirmed but if used they are likely to be held w/c 27th November 2023. Details of any event undertaken, including confirmed date/s, will be provided to those who express an interest.
two.2.14) Additional information
The services are deemed to be subject to the full regime of current procurement legislation and as such this tender will be conducted in accordance with, and governed by, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. This contract will therefore be awarded in accordance with the provisions applicable in Section 5 (sub-section 7) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 April 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 notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Commissioners or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Commissioners are looking to establish what interest there might be in providing such a service from suitably qualified, capable and competent organisations.
The Commissioner will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. Interested parties should note that a response to this notice does not guarantee an automatic invitation to any subsequent formal procurement, which the commissioners will consider in due course.
Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the 'Live Opportunities' list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access, you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.
To register an expression of interest, you will also need to complete, attach and return the Market Engagement Questionnaire via the messaging function on Atamis. Expressions of interest must be received by 12 noon 20th November 2023.
If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and to be able to submit your expression of interest / market engagement questionnaire.
This exercise is being supported by NHS England South West and being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).
The services are deemed to be subject to the full regime of current procurement legislation and as such this tender will be conducted in accordance with, and governed by, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. This contract will therefore be awarded in accordance with the provisions applicable in Section 5 (sub-section 7) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.