Pipeline Framework: Ophthalmology Services for NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group

A pipeline has been launched for Ophthalmology Services for NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group.The contract start Date is 2 January 2023. Approach to market date is 4 July 2022.This is a future opportunity notice to inform potential bidding organisations that NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group plans to issue tender documentation for the provision of a Consultant-Led Community Ophthalmology Service. It is expected that the tender opportunity will be published shortly.The overall aim of the service will be to provide a safe, flexible and efficient community-based Ophthalmology Service for patients aged 16 years and over who are registered with a GP Practice within the County of Worcestershire, UK. For clarity, other commissioned service arrangements are in place for people who are registered with a GP Practice within the County of Herefordshire, ensuring that the local health population is appropriately managed. A senior clinician (MRC Ophth (part 3) and FRC Ophth (fellowship assessment) CCST) is expected to have overall responsibility for the clinical oversight of this proposed service at all times. NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group intends to award one contract, and the proposed procurement process will fall under The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 Light Touch Regime (LTR).The proposed contract duration is expected to be 12 months with the option to extend for a further 12-month period subject to mutual agreement. The contract is interim in nature as the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Integrated Care System works together to determine the most effective pathways for the care of patients with eye health conditions. The intention is that the provider(s) of this service will be part of the discussions and development of new and revised pathways for the Worcestershire place-based population.The indicative budget for the service is expected to be approximately £799,000 per annum. Payments will be in accordance with local tariffs for Consultant-Led Community Ophthalmology service provision. Further details will be provided when the forthcoming tender opportunity is published. NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group is not bound by any indicative dates nor figures stated above. Interested parties are advised to check for the forthcoming tender opportunity in the Find a Tender website, and in the UK Contracts Finder website, in which full details of how to submit a tender response will be provided once the opportunity is published in due course.This is a potential opportunity from the government, and the pipeline gives advance notice of an opportunity that might be offered by the public sector in the future – allowing potential suppliers to plan accordingly. When a public sector organisation publishes a pipeline notice, it does not necessarily mean that an opportunity will be offered in the future.For more information contact: NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU, The Coach House, John Comyn Drive, Perdiswell, Worcester WR3 7NS. Email: lyle.lloyd@nhs.net (Lyle Lloyd, MCIPS, Senior Procurement Officer)