Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board
Sackville House, Brooks Close
Lewes
BN7 2FZ
Contact
Robert Kitt
Telephone
+44 7823534547
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
NHS Organisation Data Service
QNX
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/
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
Primary Eyecare Services
Reference number
C317419
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85121281 - Ophthalmologist services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Adult cataract referral, and post-operative pathway.
The service facilitates the direct referrals between optometrists and secondary care providers and then post-operative care of a cataract patient.
The service is provided by accredited local ophthalmic practitioners who have the necessary equipment to facilitate detailed examinations of the eye, as well as the specialist knowledge and skill to counsel and provide advice to patients with cataract. - Ophthalmic practitioners will:
• Hold a WOPEC accreditation for cataract.
• Attend training events organised by local NHS trusts annually
• Be registered with the General Optical Council
• Follow NICE Guidelines for management and referral and GOC required procedures
The service is available to all persons over 18 residing, or registered with a GP practice, in the Coastal West Sussex area.
Intraocular Pressures (IOP) Repeat Readings Service
The service assists the Hospital Eye Service in the deflection of unnecessary secondary care referrals for possible glaucoma related conditions. The Intraocular Pressures Repeat Readings pathway will reduce patient anxiety and increasing capacity issues within the overburdened hospital glaucoma clinics.
The service is provided by accredited local ophthalmic practitioners who have a range of equipment to facilitate a detailed examination of the eye.
The service is available to all persons residing, or registered with a GP practice, in the Coastal West Sussex area.
Electronic Eyecare Referral Service (EERS)
PES provides optometrists access to an EERS called OPERA. This is used to make referrals and communicate between primary eyecare and secondary care.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Award Notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 Direct Award Process C. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
This award is for a maximum period of 12 months, from 01/04/24 to 31/03/25 with the option to extend for a further 15 months until 30/06/26.
The service value is £132,000.00 per annum.
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: £1,188,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85121281 - Ophthalmologist services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Adult cataract referral, and post-operative pathway
The service facilitates the direct referrals between optometrists and secondary care providers and then post-operative care of a cataract patient.
The service is provided by accredited local ophthalmic practitioners who have the necessary equipment to facilitate detailed examinations of the eye, as well as the specialist knowledge and skill to counsel and provide advice to patients with cataract. - Ophthalmic practitioners will:
• Hold a WOPEC accreditation for cataract.
• Attend training events organised by local NHS trusts annually
• Be registered with the General Optical Council
• Follow NICE Guidelines for management and referral and GOC required procedures
The service is available to all persons over 18 residing, or registered with a GP practice, in the Coastal West Sussex area.
Intraocular Pressures (IOP) Repeat Readings Service
The service assists the Hospital Eye Service in the deflection of unnecessary secondary care referrals for possible glaucoma related conditions. The Intraocular Pressures Repeat Readings pathway will reduce patient anxiety and increasing capacity issues within the overburdened hospital glaucoma clinics.
The service is provided by accredited local ophthalmic practitioners who have a range of equipment to facilitate a detailed examination of the eye.
The service is available to all persons residing, or registered with a GP practice, in the Coastal West Sussex area.
Electronic Eyecare Referral Service (EERS)
PES provides optometrists access to an EERS called OPERA. This is used to make referrals and communicate between primary eyecare and secondary care.
The provider selection process was based on five key criteria, each weighted to reflect its importance in service delivery, value, and sustainability:
o Quality & Innovation (30%) - 30% is allocated to quality and innovation to ensure the service is performing to the standards expected and to demonstrate the provider is able to innovate with the commissioner as per the ICB's expectations.
o Value (20%) - 20% is allocated to value to ensure our population is getting value for money from the service provided, and to ensure we are spending taxpayers' money efficiently.
o Integration & Sustainability (25%) - 25% is allocated to integration, collaboration, and service sustainability as integration is key to upcoming ICB plans, and along with collaboration as system wide engagement is required to ensure improvements are made to ophthalmology care and experience.
o Access & Health Inequalities (15%) - 15% is allocated to improving access, reducing inequalities and facilitating choice as these are important factors that must be considered for all services ICB's commission.
o Social Value (10%) - 10% is allocated to social value as services should be able to provide additional benefits to the wider population, not just those who access the service, and local social, environmental, and economic benefits, e.g. reducing CO2 emissions.
The decision to award the contract to Primary Eyecare Services (PES) was made through review of the above structured evaluation of key criteria, selection standards, and PSR compliance, which demonstrated that PES continues to provide a high quality service for our population whilst ensuring the best value and service continuity for NHS Sussex.
The assessment of the current service is as follows:
Quality and innovation:
• Clinical Quality: PES maintains a high standard of clinical quality, complying with NICE guidelines and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists' Commissioning Guidelines.
• Accredited Workforce: The service is delivered by ophthalmic practitioners with WOPEC accreditation and annual NHS trust training, ensuring a high level of competency.
• Digital Innovation: PES uses Opera, allowing direct referral pathways to Hospital Eye Services (HES), reducing administrative burden and improving patient flow.
• Pathway Alignment: PES has aligned its processes with the updated integrated cataract pathway, ensuring no fragmentation of care and enhancing service continuity.
• New Service Developments: PES is involved in pilot schemes such as Glaucoma Enhanced Case Finding, improving early detection and reducing unnecessary hospital visits.
Value:
• Cost-Effectiveness: PES operates a cost-per-episode payment model, ensuring financial efficiency and value for money.
• Reduction in Hospital Workload: By managing cataract pre-referral assessments and post-operative follow-ups in the community as well as reducing the number of glaucoma referrals, PES reduces reliance on secondary care, allowing hospitals to focus on complex cases
• Tariff Alignment: PES adheres to standardised tariff structures across Sussex, ensuring financial transparency and preventing regional disparities in patient costs.
• Efficiency of Service Delivery: KPI reports confirm timely and accurate billing, with minimal administrative discrepancies.
Integration, collaboration and service sustainability:
• Service Integration: PES is fully integrated with Opera IT, allowing seamless referrals and patient tracking across NHS Trusts and independent providers.
• Collaboration with Key Stakeholders: PES has strong working relationships with NHS Trusts, SpaMedica, Optegra, and local optometrists, ensuring continuity of care for cataract and glaucoma pathways.
• Standardisation of Care Pathways: Efforts are ongoing to align protocols across all Sussex providers, reducing fragmentation and ensuring a consistent approach to pre- and post-operative care.
• Data Flow & IT Interoperability: While Opera IT integration is strong, some independent sector providers lack full data-sharing capabilities, which can hinder seamless service integration.
• Sustainability Measures: PES is working on workforce development initiatives, including training programmes for optometrists to expand service capacity and enhance long-term sustainability.
Improving access, reducing health inequalities, and facilitating choice:
• Broad Patient Access: The service is available in the Coastal West Sussex area, including rural areas, ensuring comprehensive patient reach.
• Reducing Health Inequalities: The community-based model improves access for underserved populations, reducing dependency on hospital-based services.
• Patient Choice: The AQP model allows patients to choose their provider, ensuring accessibility and convenience.
Social value:
• Workforce Development: PES invests in training programs for optometrists, supporting skill development and employment.
• Environmental Impact: The community-based model reduces the carbon footprint by minimising unnecessary hospital visits.
• Economic Contribution: By working with local optometry practices, PES supports local businesses and job stability.
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: 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
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) confirmation of contract award notice. This contract has now been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act Regulations 2023 do not apply to this award.
This contract has now been formally awarded using Direct Award Process C.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
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
26 February 2025
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
Primary Eyecare Services Ltd
Waulk Mill [2.3], 51 Bengal St
Manchester
M4 6LN
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKD3 - Greater Manchester
Companies House
06722353
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,188,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) confirmation of contract award notice. This contract has now been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act Regulations 2023 do not apply to this award.
This contract has now been formally awarded using direct award process C.
There are no identified conflicts of interest.
Contract Period: 1st April 2024 - 30th March 2025 with the option to extend until 30th June 2026. The total price for the full contract period will be £1,188,000 exclusive of VAT.
The procurement is approved by the Deputy Chief Delivery and Strategy Officer and Director of Strategic Commissioning
Written representations should be sent to robert.kitt1@nhs.net
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board
Sackville House, Brooks Close
Lewes
BN7 2FZ
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHSE
Skipton House, 80 London Road
LONDON
SE1 6LH
Country
United Kingdom