Functional support

Tender description

This form of contract for the performance monitoring of breast screening equipment. Public Health England (PHE) is seeking to commission an external partner to ensure that new equipment which reaches the market is fit for purpose. On-going monitoring and collation of equipment used in the breast screening programme is required from the supplier which is attained through the national collection of equipment fault reports and also key performance indicators for medical physicists. This information is shared with the Authority and summary information on equipment faults feedback to manufacturers, the screening quality assurance service and programme managers within PHE to help ensure that equipment is fit for purpose and manufacturers can respond to programme requirements. To ensure that new equipment which reaches the market is fit for purpose, which includes dose minimisation whilst achieving excellent diagnostic quality for image reporting, the Authority requires the assurance from the supplier that the equipment meets the requirements of its specification and is acceptable for use in the NHSBSP from a technical perspective. Following this, a practical evaluation is undertaken at a screening service to assess whether the equipment meets programme requirements. This activity should be supported by the supplier. On-going monitoring and collation of equipment used in the breast screening programme is required from the supplier which is attained through the national collection of equipment fault reports and also key performance indicators for medical physicists. This information is shared with the Authority and summary information on equipment faults feedback to manufacturers, the screening quality assurance service and programme managers within PHE to help ensure that equipment is fit for purpose and manufacturers can respond to programme requirements.