Pathology services

Tender description

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital NHS Trust (STHK) (the ‘Trust’) is the main provider of pathology services for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, which operates across 2 hospital sites; The Whiston Hospital site (‘WH’) in Prescot and the St Helens Hospital site (‘STH’), and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, which operates across 2 hospital sites; The Southport Hospital Site (‘SDGH’) and the Ormskirk Hospital site (‘ODGH’). STHK (the ‘Participating Authority’) is seeking to establish a partner to implement a dedicated pathology laboratory Managed Service Contract (‘MSC’). This procurement will include the provision of a dedicated service between 4 main sites. This initial managed service contract is due to expire on the 23.10.2026; the contract can be extended for up to an additional 7 years in any incremental period. STHK operates across 2 hospital sites, The Whiston Hospital site (‘WH’) in Prescot is an acute hospital site which has approximately 770 beds and provides A&E, inpatient, outpatient, Obstetrics and Gynaecology services and the Regional Burns Unit; and the St Helens Hospital site (“STH”) has approximately 90 inpatient beds, however, provides mainly outpatient services. There are no acute services available on this site. In autumn 2014, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital NHS Trust (‘STHK’) won a competitive tender to provide pathology services for Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust (‘SOHT’). The Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust operates across 2 hospital sites: The Southport Hospital Site (‘SDGH’) is an acute hospital site which provides a 24-hour adult A&E, inpatient and outpatient services and has a regional spinal centre; and the Ormskirk Hospital site (‘ODGH’) provides mainly outpatient services. Additionally this site offers a 24 hour paediatric A&E, Obstetrics and Gynaecology services and an adult minor injuries unit. The scope of the procurement included clinical biochemistry (including auto immunity, allergy and infectious disease serology), haematology and coagulation equipment, consumables and associated services. An essential objective of this procurement was to reduce costs year on year and to deliver a more efficient and cost-effective service to end users by working with the successful tenderer to utilise marketing, new technologies and introduce modern and innovative techniques. Clinical Chemistry is required immediately with other equipment/disciplines being implemented through a phased approach which was detailed within the tender documents. The Trust views this as the start of a process to enter into a long-term partnership to develop an innovative and practical solution for the provision and delivery of a pathology service which is fit for purpose, enables the Trust to respond rapidly to changes in quality standards and provides user defined management information required for the management of performance and contracting.