Invitation to Tender - Online Sexual Health - Postal Testing Kits

Wirral Community Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust is looking to procure an outstanding digital sexual health offer for its local authority commissioned Integrated Sexual Health services. Additionally we intend use the successful provider for our existing and any future potential services which may be acquired through future tender bids.

The successful provider will deliver a robust sexual health digital offer, ensuring patient confidentiality, to increase access to information, diagnosis and support, improve patient experience and strengthen the impact of services. There will be a focus on self-managed care, empowering patients and reducing unnecessary clinic attendances.

Scope

The service went live on 1st July 2021 for the Wirral population of 321,000 and will finish on the 31st October 2024

Service Specification

• Suppliers must have extensive experience in digital sexual health provision
• Have a track record of innovation
• Be registered with CQC
• Use UKAS ISO 15189:2012 accredited laboratories
• Adhere to BASHH, BHIVA, FSRH guidelines
• Please indicate if you have any current relationships or development plans with sexual health electronic patient management systems providers, and if not that you will enter into one with regard to developing system and results integration, to facilitate a single patient sexual health record between sexual health provider and online platform.

The digital offer will include:-

Postal Testing

An extensive postal testing service for all STIs appropriate to patients’ sexual health needs

• Self-sample Urine/swabs for chlamydia/gonorrhoea. With dual/triple site testing as elicited by registration
• Self-sample blood tests for HIV/Syphilis
• Safeguarding assessment for those <18 years old
• Rapid dispatch
• Process tracking
• Rapid results provision (minimum 100% by 5 working days)
• Direct reporting of results by text message/email/phone.
• Provision of direct patient support
• Partner notification for positive results.
• Public Health England reporting Eg. GUMCAD/CTAD

Click and Collect Model

As per postal testing but collection from pre-defined locations

• Pharmacies, GP surgeries, 3rd party providers
• To include training of staff and provision of any equipment at distribution points
• Stock management at distribution points
• Results management/reporting as per postal testing
• Collection of medication for positives from above pre-defined locations where necessary/requested

Postal Treatment

• Facilitating self-care in patients clinically assessed as appropriate
• Chlamydia treatment
• To include partner notification and treatment as appropriate