Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT) to provide support for patients identified with symptoms associated with bowel cancer.

The provision of goods and services to support faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) from Alpha Laboratories to support All Wales testing for patients identified in primary and secondary care as having symptoms associated with bowel cancer. NHS Wales Shared Service Partnership on behalf of Public Health Wales NHS Trust wish to inform the market that due to consequences of the global pandemic, Covid-19, they are awarding a contract for the provision of goods and services to support Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT) from Alpha Laboratories to support All Wales testing for patients identified in primary and secondary care as having symptoms associated with bowel cancer. The existing Bowel Screen Wales contract with Alpha Laboratories for Provision of Faecal Immunochemical Testing Analysers and Consumables was due to end in November 2021, and it was intended to go to market for the supply of Symptomatic and Screening Fit as one tender. However, due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020 and the subsequent suspension of routine hospital services and Screening across Wales; The Screening Division was approached to provide testing for patients presenting in Primary/Secondary care with symptoms of bowel cancer. Prior to Covid-19 these patients would be referred to Endoscopy. To ensure that urgent suspected cancers were identified during the pandemic, the decision was made to utilise Screenings existing FIT testing capability and service model. To establish this service at short notice, the Screening Laboratory have entered contract with Alpha, the primary supplier of FIT to the Bowel Screening Wales Programme. Appointing Alpha Laboratories as the single supplier was the most considered and beneficial approach to deliver the service and support the wider NHS needs in Wales. Due to the existing MSC arrangements in place with Alpha Laboratories for FIT Screening, the choice of this supplier would ensure: - Continuity of supply. - Compatibility with existing equipment and testing methodologies. - Reduced need for training - Existing patient material can be used to ensure patients complete their test correctly. The Public Health Wales Screening Division do not have the resources to undertake a competitive procurement process through an open OJEU procedure currently due to supporting various screening and Covid activity. In order to enable the provision of the Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT), to support all Wales testing for patients identified as having symptoms associated with bowel cancel, Public Health Wales would like to inform the market that under Regulation 32 (2) (C)of the Public Contracts Regulation 2015(PCR’s) as detailed in UK Government guidance PPN01/20 they are awarding the contract to Alpha Laboratories. The trust has met the criteria for awarding a contract under this regulation due to the disruption to patient care and services that COVID-19 poses to the population of Wales. Additional information: Aligning the FIT symptomatic workload with the contract already in place for the FIT screening is the only practical option to provide continued patient care. Going forward, both elements will be combined in the procurement of the existing contract for renewal.