Provision of Diabetic Eye Screening Programme in Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country (West Midlands)

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit on behalf of NHS England and NHS Improvement Midlands (the Commissioner) would like to notify the market of an opportunity to provide a Diabetic Eye Screening Programme (DESP) in Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country (West Midlands) and are inviting suitably qualified providers to deliver the aforementioned services.

As a result of this procurement exercise an agreement will be established with the successful bidder for a period of 1 year and 9 months with no option to extend (so that the service end date can be aligned to the other West Midlands DESP contracts). The current contract will end on 30th June 2021 and the successful bidder is expected to be fully operational, providing services from 1st July 2021. The current eligible cohort size is approximately 144,000.

Commissioners across NHS England & NHS Improvement – Midlands are looking to procure DESP provision in Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country (West Midlands).

The aims of the DESP is to reduce the risk of sight loss amongst people with diabetes by the prompt identification and effective treatment if necessary, of sight threatening diabetic retinopathy, at the appropriate stage during the disease process.

The Service being commissioned should be aligned to the National Diabetic Eye Screening Service Specification which aims to ensure a consistent and equitable approach across England, and to govern the provision and monitoring of the DESP.

The Service will need to undertake and perform the following objectives in order to meet the commissioning and Service Specification requirements:

• Identify the eligible population and ensure effective delivery with maximum coverage.
• Deliver safe, effective, high quality, externally and independently monitored, and quality assured Diabetic Eye Screening Programme.
• Lead to earlier detection, appropriate referral, effective treatment and improved outcomes.
• Deliver and support thorough suitably trained, competent, and qualified, clinical and non-clinical staff who, where relevant, participate in recognised ongoing continuing medical education (CME), continuous Professional Development (CPD), and Quality Assurance (QA) schemes; as well as have regular audits embedded within the service.

The successful bidder will need to demonstrate that they can deliver services of
a continuously high-quality. Keeping in line with the vision set out in the NHS long term plan;

• Improve public health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.
• Contribute to a more sustainable public health, health and care system.

The DESP programme also contributes to the public health outcomes framework which aims "to improve and protect the nation's health and wellbeing and to improve the health of the poorest, fastest."