Notice of forthcoming opportunities around Community ENT and Audiology services

This is a Prior Information Notice for information only, being issued prior to a call for competition, which will be published via a Contract Notice, to notify the market of commissioning intentions in respect of Community ENT and Audiology services in Southampton locality.

The Southampton locality currently has an integrated Community ENT and Audiology service model, which was commissioned by the previous Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). In April 2021, the Southampton City CCG merged with five other local CCGs to become part of a single Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight CCG (HSIOW CCG). In July 2022, the HSIOW CCG will in turn be dissolved with its functions transferring into a new HSIOW Integrated Care System (ICS).

The integration of CCGs and establishment of the ICS provides an opportunity to establish a service improvement approach across a wider geography, which reduces unwarranted variation and leads to improved outcomes, experience and efficiency. As such, this has the potential to change the landscape and alter requirements, as does the lessons being learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in different ways of working and patient/clinical behaviours.

In respect of ENT and Audiology services specifically, our intention is to undertake a thorough review of the current service model and provision, encompassing service redesign and reconfiguration options, including across the wider geography. This review will inform longer term commissioning strategies and tender opportunities for Community ENT and Audiology. Commissioners are keen to engage and work with providers as well as patients and wider system stakeholders to inform this review and the resulting strategy, and will provide information regarding engagement opportunities in the coming months.

In the short term, in order to allow for the full review including engagement and consultation, our intention is to advertise a Contract Notice for a 2 year contract to provide Community ENT and Audiology Services in Southampton, in line with the current model. We are keen to receive bids from providers who wish to bid as/with a sub-contractor, or on a consortia basis as part of this tender process. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to encourage providers that may wish to bid on that basis, to seek potential bidding partners prior to the publication of the Contract Notice, which we aim to publish in May 2022.

The Service will;

• Provide a combined ENT and Audiology service for patients aged 18 years and over and who are registered with a Southampton GP Practice.
• The service will manage demand from patients with ENT disorders and supports early intervention for patients with hearing loss, ensuring patients are managed at the earliest possible opportunity and most effectively.
• The service will also provide face to face clinical assessment, diagnostic tests, clinical interventions, aural care and the provision and maintenance of hearing aids.
• Relieve pressure on acute ENT & Audiology services at University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring only those requiring secondary care interventions are referred on.
• Continually improve quality and patient experience with reduced waiting times.

It is anticipated that the legal landscape governing procurement of NHS contracts may change later this year. The CCG reserves the right to amend or abandon the procurement process in response to any legislative changes that may occur.

The total value of the contract covers the two year contract period.

Value excluding VAT: £4,400,925.

The CCG does not expect this service to be VAT chargeable, therefore, the individual bidder will be responsible for any VAT incurred and will need to ensure they can cover all appropriate costs within the pricing options shown.