Medical imaging services

Tender description

To identify Commercial Partners to develop Radiology Services at Royal Surrey County Hospital. This Prior Information Notice is to invite potential commercial partners to engage in a dialogue with the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to review the future development of Radiology partnership options. Background: — national estimates of a 10% annual growth in referrals for imaging investigations, — continued growth in activity, — increasing complexity of imaging protocols, — new image guided interventions which are more time consuming to undertake, — MRI radiotherapy planning is not currently readily available and is required. Nationally set requirements for access to diagnostic services are changing in order to enable earlier diagnosis and improve outcomes through earlier intervention. The Trust needs to expand radiological provision in order to maintain its strong clinical reputation. It is seeking potential commercial partners who are able to match the ambition of the Trust in building on a strong foundation of good patient care to address the challenges it faces in terms of capacity planning, workforce expansion, capital investment and location of services. As part of the diagnostic strategy within 18 months the Trust needs to increase direct access in order to meet NICE standards, maintain market share and meet the changes in performance targets such as the 28 day cancer pathway from 2020. To match demand, an initial investment of 3 additional MRI scanners and 1 CT scanner, is required. There are 3 potential options to explore: Option 1: Expand the current radiology facility located opposite the emergency care department, relocating other services to create the additional space for 2 new MRI scanners and replacement MRI scanner plus 1 CT scanner. Option 2: Use the current location opposite emergency care to facilitate the inpatient care maintaining a radiology presence close to A and E and inpatient wards. Build a separate facility elsewhere in the Trust to accommodate outpatient activity or in the community. Option 3: Relocate all radiology facilities into a purpose built facility elsewhere on the Trust site. The Trust is willing to review other options based on the above examples. Interested potential bidders are invited to speak to the Trust in advance of the tender process to discuss current thinking and options by speaking to John Coleman, Associate Director of Operations at john.coleman4@nhs.net and telephone 01483 571122 ext. 2220. An expression of interest in this market engagement exercise will not automatically entitle involvement in any future procurement exercise. The subsequent procurement will be advertised separately and all organisations wanting to participate will need to respond to the procurement advertisement when published. Please note that this is not a Selection Questionnaire (SQ), we are using the functionality within the procurement portal to communicate with interested parties. A decision has yet to be taken as to which procedure will be used for this procurement but given the nature of the requirement and the expectation that this will be fulfilled by some type or joint venture between RSCH and the successful bidder it is likely that either the Competitive procedure with negotiation or Competitive dialogue procedure will be used.