Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Contact
Mark Fordham
hweicbhv.procurementteam@nhs.net
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH23 - Hertfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local Agency/Office
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Integrated Community Gynaecology Service
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Gynaecology Partnership Ltd is an incumbent provider in HWE ICB in South and West Herts (SWH) place since 2018 and delivers a good quality, timely service to SWH patients. The service is integrally linked with all existing Trusts in the SWH area. The contract award will enable continuity of a high quality service provision which is integrated with primary care, the adult community service and local Trusts. The Gynaecology Partnership Ltd works together with local system partners in a collaborative way following the pathways which have been agreed by all local Trust gynaecology clinical leads in SWH place.
This service delivers an Integrated Gynaecology Service for patients with non-emergency gynaecology conditions across all four localities in South and West Herts place. This specialist community model is provided and led from a multi-disciplinary hub, enabling specialist assessment of patients in the community and quicker access to multi-disciplinary team assessment, diagnostics, and treatments, with choice of an elective care provider if an onward referral is needed, which can be direct listed following patient choice. The service focuses on clearly defined clinical pathways, offers GP support, advice and guidance and education.
As per the PSR direct award process C requirements, the existing provider is satisfying the existing contract, delivering a good service, meeting all KPIs, with no quality concerns and good outcomes with very good feedback from GPs and patients and HWE ICB are satisfied that the incumbent Provider is likely to satisfy the new contract. The proposed contracting arrangements are not changing from the existing contract.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £9,957,246
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH23 - Hertfordshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Five Year Forward View set out an ambition to deliver more healthcare out of acute hospitals and closer to home, with the aim of providing better care for patients, reducing the number of unplanned bed days in hospital, and reducing net costs. To achieve this objective, the organisation previously known as NHS Herts Valleys CCG (HVCCG) commissioned a range of community services from the independent sector and NHS providers. The contract between HVCCG and the Gynaecology Partnership Ltd was entered into from 1 April 2018 following a due diligence process. The community gynaecology service has successfully delivered gynaecology clinics across all four localities in south and west Hertfordshire. The contract is due to expire 31 March 2025.
The Gynaecology Partnership Ltd has subcontracts with West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (WHTHT), Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. The service operates between primary care, community, and secondary care services to provide specialist assessment, treatment, non-complex procedures, and direct listing of appropriate onward referrals to secondary care. The service excludes 2-week cancer referrals, inpatient elective, and non-elective care. The service has training sessions within community clinics for gynaecology registrars at WHTHT to support future gynaecology workforce training and development.
This service also supports the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme which incorporates the High Volume Low Complexity programme of which Gynaecology is one of the six surgical specialties. The GIRFT HVLC programme is a key element of the wider NHS Elective Recovery programme to adopt best practice, ensure equity of access and ensure continuous improvement. The current service is achieving good outcomes, timely appointments and treatment for patients and is highly commended by the GIRFT (Getting it Right First Time) Gynaecology leads in the East of England regional improvement team as showing positive impacts on the main local Acute trust in SHW place. The service is integrated with local Trusts to enable direct listing following patient choice and thus it is believed that they are best placed to continue to provide the service.
The contract has been in place with The Gynaecology Partnership since April 2018 with a cumulative contract value to 31st March 2025 of £12,957,682.
The new contract will be from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028 for three years, with the option to extend for a further two years from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2030.
The maximum value of the new contract is £1,991,449 per annum. Should the optional extension be used, the maximum contract value for the 5-year period is £9,957,246.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: The existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard. / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for a further two year from 1st April 2028 to 31st March 2030.
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- New works/services, constituting a repetition of existing works/services
Explanation:
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 18th December 2024. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10 December 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
The Gynaecology Partnership Ltd
45-47 KINGS ROAD, LONDON COLNEY
Hertfordshire
AL2 1ES
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH23 - Hertfordshire
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £9,957,246
Total value of the contract/lot: £9,957,246
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 18th December 2024. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Any formal written representations should be sent to: hweicbhv.procurementteam@nhs.net
The business case including the recommendation to award the contract under Provider Selection Regime Process C was approved by the ICB's Strategic Finance & Commissioning Committee on the 22nd November 2024 and there were no recorded or potential conflicts of interest of individuals making the decision declared at this meeting.
The decision to award this contract in line with Direct Award Process C was based on evaluation against the five required key criteria as follows:
• Quality and Innovation - Assured - HWE ICB are assured that the provider is delivering a safe and effective service as required by the specification and contract they are currently delivering.
• Value - Assured - HWE ICB are assured that the provider is delivering value to the Health & Care Partnership integrated care system.
• Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability - Assured - HWE ICB are assured that the provider is positively impacting on the integrated care system through their integration and collaboration delivered as a requirement of the specification or alternative elements linked to the delivery.
• Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice - Assured - HWE ICB are assured that the provider is meeting needs of the population to ensure equitable access and choice as required by the specification and contract.
• Social Value - Assured - HWE ICB are assured that the provider is delivering in line with the HWE Green Plan, supporting with the implementation of carbon reduction and increase in initiatives which positively impact on the wider determinants of health.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Country
United Kingdom