Berkshire West CCGs Integrated Community and Surgical Ophthalmology Services

The NHS Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group Federation is seeking expressions of interest in a forthcoming tender for a new integrated Community and Surgical Ophthalmology Service within Berkshire West CCG areas, which includes Newbury & District CCG, North & West Reading CCG, South Reading CCG and Wokingham CCG. NHS Berkshire West CCG Federation is looking for a high quality, effective and timely advice, assessment, diagnosis and treatment ophthalmology service in a community setting.

It will be cost effective, meet all relevant clinical and quality standards (including NICE guidelines), ensuring only those patients requiring a hospital-based specialist service are referred on. It will also reduce the time taken for patients to move from ophthalmology referral to diagnosis and treatment, undertake specified ophthalmology surgical procedures in a community setting and be a more convenient service for the patient.

The Community Ophthalmology and Surgical Service will cover adult and child patients (under 16 for orthoptics only) who are registered with GPs in the Berkshire West CCG catchment area and will include: The Service will consist of the following elements: a) Triage of referrals to the Service; b) Appointments to see patients for initial ophthalmology diagnosis, treatment (if required) and follow up consultation (if necessary). c) Ocular Hypertension refinement Exclusion criteria a) Suspected cancers; b) Patients who need cataract surgery; c) Patients with diabetic retinopathy; d) Wet AMD e) Patients likely to need inpatient surgery. f) Glaucoma or suspected Glaucoma The Provider will undertake selected procedures included within the following Health Resource Groups (HRGs): a) BZ07A Minor Occuplastics Procedures, 19 years and over b) BZ07B Minor Occuplastics Procedures, 18 years and under c) BZ10A Minor Orbits or Lacrimal Procedures, 19 years and over d) BZ10B Minor Orbits or Lacrimal Procedures, 18 years and under e) BZ13Z Cornea / Sclera- Category 1 Exclusions a) Blepharoplasty b) Brow Lift c) Destructive Interventions of Asymptomatic Benign Skin Lesions The above service description is indicative for the purposes of this Contract Notice. The final service specification will be published together with the Invitation to Tender documents.

The contract is expected to be for 3 years plus an optional extension of 2 years and will commence in April 2017. The annual contract value is expected to be in the region of £506k per annum.

Additional information: A PIN was published on Contracts Finder in June 2016 and this notice was to determine the procurement route for this service. Interested parties must submit a compliant Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) if they wish to be further considered, which will evaluate the capacity, capability and experience of potential bidders.

This will be used to shortlist successful applicants to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage. The procurement will be conducted through the commissioner’s e-procurement system, In-Tend.

More information on the next steps and the procurement process in general is provided within the PQQ documentation, available through In-Tend system. If you are not yet registered on In-Tend, please visit: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Registration The closing date for registering an expression of interest and returning completed Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) is 1pm on 15th August 2016.