National Flexible Framework for the provision of On-Site Surgical and Medical Capacity Solutions

The NHS is facing a period of intense pressure to reduce waiting lists. Trusts are looking towards innovative solutions to help reduce their referral to treatment times and increase efficiency through better utilisation of their existing facilities. NHS Trusts may find it difficult to meet referral to treatment (RTT) targets due to lack of capacity. Locum staff can fill gaps but Trusts still need to manage the patient pathway which may not be possible outside normal hours (e.g. evenings & weekends). On-site Surgical and Medical Capacity Solutions (sometime known as “Insourcing”) will act in a complementary way to partially or totally manage the Pathway for referred Patients. This Flexible Framework will facilitate maximisation of in-house capacity to a level that the Participating Authorities can reduce the need for additional mobile facilities and outsourcing. At the same time, in-patient and out-patient waiting times will be reduced, referrals will be expedited, service quality will be improved and patient satisfaction will be positively impacted. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s Commercial Procurement Service has introduced a new, flexible commercial Framework which will allow UK public bodies to procure on-site surgical and medical capacity solutions. This will enable Participating Authorities to act quickly in realising efficiencies. The services in scope of this procurement process are healthcare services which fall under ‘social and other specific services’ in Section 7 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (‘PCR’) (as amended). In accordance with Regulation 76 PCR, the process set up a framework agreement and followed a procedure similar to the open procedure. However, the Framework Manager and the contracting authorities using the framework are only bound by the parts of the PCR that specifically apply to social and other specific services. For the avoidance of doubt, the rules that apply to the open procedure under Regulation 27 and framework agreements under Regulation 33 do not apply to this procurement. All providers that meet the minimum requirements set out under the procurement process will be appointed to the framework agreement. There will be no maximum number of providers appointed. The procurement process has resulted in the award of a number of framework agreements with no guaranteed level of spend.