Review of Pathology and Mortuary Services

Review of Pathology and Mortuary Services

The majority of the West Midlands metropolitan area (six of the seven local authorities) is covered by two coronial jurisdictions: Birmingham and Solihull, and the Black Country (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton). From a combined population of around two million, in 2017 there were around 20,000 deaths across the two areas, of which around 50% were referred to the respective Coroners. Consideration of the causes of death is a significant business that includes a number of key services:

• Storage of bodies.
• Movement of bodies between mortuary/pathology facilities and funeral homes.
• Undertaking autopsies (digital and invasive).
• Undertaking histology and toxicology tests.
• General enquiry, investigation and inquest.

With public sector budgets under increasing pressure, and a drive for increasing professionalism, innovation and efficiency. In line with this, the Chief Coroner has also articulated an aspiration for the regionalisation of some support services:

The ideal solution would be, over time, for all pathology services to become regionalised in centres of excellence where body storage, conventional pathology and imaging can take place. This would provide resilience, introduce efficiency and improve the quality of the service to coroners.

This goal corresponds with the ambition of the two West Midlands coronial areas. To facilitate this, this paper provides a specification brief for suitable consultants to undertake a review of mortuary, pathology and associated services across the region, the primary objective of which will be to make independent recommendations about the optimum operating model for their long-term delivery over the next ten to twenty years.

The estimated budget is £35,000.00 to £45,000.00 and the duration of this project will be 3 to 4 months. However, this information is intended to assist with the preparation of your bid. The Council does not bind itself to this or any other figure and is not a guarantee of business which may be generated from this contract.

The Council will be using the In-tend e-Tendering System for this Procurement exercise, please visit https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sandwellmbc to access the Sandwell MBC In-tend Supplier Portal.

From here you will be able to register your company, express an interest in the opportunity, and gain immediate access to the Quotation document or other related documents.

In Order To View a On-Line Questionnaire (if applicable) or Submit a Quotation, you will be required to` Opt-In`.

For a Step by Step user guide to the Sandwell MBC In-tend Supplier Portal please click on the `Guidance for Suppliers` section of the website. All procurement responses must be carried out via the Sandwell MBC In-tend Supplier Portal.

If you require further assistance in respect of the system please contact the In-tend support team on 0844 27...

Additional information: The Council will be using the In-tend e-Tendering System for this Procurement exercise, please visit https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sandwellmbc to access the Sandwell MBC In-tend Supplier Portal.

From here you will be able to register your company, express an interest in the opportunity, and gain immediate access to the Quotation document or other related documents.

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No