Carpal Tunnel Services in North East Essex

NHS North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) invited suitably qualified service providers to submit tenders for the provision of Carpal Tunnel Services in North East Essex to establish a single community provider. This will be a Community Service provided under a separate community contract. The Provider will receive all North East Essex referrals into this community service and there will be a community fixed price tariff i.e. non Payment by Results (PbR). Referrals will be made by North East Essex GP Practices, the community physiotherapy service and the Clinical Assessment Service. In line with the Department of Health Patient Choice Framework, as a community service is available, there will be no legal requirement for a patient to be offered a choice of provider. GP practices will make the initial assessment and provide the first stage of conservative treatment i.e. wrist brace (where deemed appropriate) in primary care. Practices that are clinically competent will also administer steroid injections as the second stage of conservative treatment where appropriate. Practices recorded by the CCG as not being able to administer injections will refer patients to this community service for one course of treatment only (unless exceptional circumstances such as surgery is not an option).