Diabetic Eye Screening Programme - Berkshire

NHS England South (South Central) (the Commissioners) invite suitably qualified providers to attend a Market Engagement Event which will inform the market of their intention to re procure a Diabetic Eye Screening service to the population of Berkshire. NHS England South (South Central) will be the contracting and commissioning authority for the Diabetic Eye Screening programme.

The aim of the Diabetic Eye Screening programme is to reduce the risk of sight loss amongst people with diabetes by the prompt identification and effective treatment if necessary of sight threatening diabetic retinopathy, at the appropriate stage during the disease process. This will be achieved by delivering evidence-based, population-based screening programmes that: • identify the eligible population and ensure effective delivery with maximum coverage • are safe, effective, of a high quality, externally and independently monitored, and quality assured • lead to earlier detection, appropriate referral, effective treatment and improved outcomes • are delivered and supported by suitably trained, competent, and qualified, clinical and non-clinical staff who, where relevant, participate in recognised ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and Quality Assurance (QA) schemes • have audit embedded in the service The service provider(s) will need to be adaptable to any new or changes to the national programme.

The national service specification for 2017-18 can be accessed here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ser... . The commissioner would consider changing the service model subject to service user consultation.

It is envisaged that the tender documentation for the re-procurement of these services will be available in Summer 2017, with an anticipated service commencement date for the Diabetic Eye Screening programme from 1st April 2018. A separate advert will be published to alert interested parties when the tender documentation is available.

Please ensure that the title of the email contains reference of this advert. In the event you are unable to attend but would like to receive a copy of the presentation materials, please send an email to scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net and copies will be sent to you.

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 NHS England or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. NHS England will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.

The Services are healthcare services within the meaning and scope of Annex XIV of Directive 2014/24/EU ('the Directive') and Schedule 3 to the Public Contract Regulations 2015 ('the Regulations'), which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the 'Light Touch Regime', (Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations). For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

Any procurement conducted as a result of this event will be advertised separately and all organisations wanting to participate will need to respond to the procurement advertisement as and when it is published. Providers who do not attend this Market Engagement Event will still be able to apply for the Procurement in the future. Please note that this Market Engagement Event does not represent a formal stage in the procurement process and attendance will play no part in any subsequent evaluation process.