SEL ICB Greenwich Community Musculoskeletal (MSK) Service

Description

NHS Southeast London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB) is seeking to commission Community Musculoskeletal (MSK ) Services for Greenwich. The MSK Community Service will play a vital role in supporting Greenwich in delivering its strategy to improve patient experience and health outcomes while optimising referral pathways. This service will manage a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions, providing accessible, community-based care that is responsive to local needs and designed to reduce pressure on secondary care. The MSK Community Service will work closely with primary and secondary care partners to establish sustainable, cost-effective care pathways, build local expertise, and streamline referrals, ensuring that complex cases are efficiently directed to specialist care. This approach will enhance overall capacity, improving timely access for patients requiring consultant-led treatment. The Contract is expected to commence in April 2026 for an initial period of 5 years. The contract may be extended for an additional period of 2 years at the sole discretion of the Authority. The estimated lifetime value of the contract is £ 38,500,000. (£ 5,500,000 per annum, Initial 5 Years is £27,500,000). Interested Organisations must express an interest via Atamis e-tendering portal. Bidders need to register on Atamis if they are not registered already. This can be done by clicking the link below https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome Once registered, you can express an interest in this project by clicking the following the link to this specific project ; https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome (Contract Reference: C331924). Please note that any submission of bids by any other means will not be considered. Lot 1: Greenwich serves a resident population of approximately 290,000 (ONS, 2024), with projected growth expected to place increased demand on local healthcare services in the coming years. The borough has a diverse population with significant health disparities, and it remains among the more deprived areas within London, requiring targeted community healthcare solutions to address these needs effectively. Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are a leading cause of disability and healthcare utilisation in Greenwich, significantly impacting residents' quality of life and placing pressure on local health services. Due to limited capacity in secondary care and some constraints in the current MSK service model, many patients face prolonged waits for assessment and treatment, resulting in unmet needs and exacerbating health inequalities within the community. The demand for accessible, timely MSK services has likely been further compounded by the pandemic, with backlogs and deferred care contributing to an increased burden on healthcare providers. Our proposal is to commission a revised model of the Community MSK service and pathways in Greenwich, to include simplified and broader access, seamless assessment and diagnostics, entrenched community-based delivery with appropriate links to secondary care. We envisage a forward flowing pathway to minimise waiting times, a strengthened SPOA, maximise diverse speciality and suitably trained clinical workforce, and provide multiple pathways to access the service using the latest in traditional, digital and electronic resources. This service will manage a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions through the integration of First Contact Practitioners (FCPs), providing accessible, community-based care that is responsive to local needs and designed to reduce pressure on secondary care. FCPs will serve as an initial point of contact, assessing and managing MSK conditions early in the care pathway, streamlining referrals, and ensuring that complex cases are efficiently directed to specialist care. The common ethos is to triage patients to the right provider first time. We aim to expand the community focus of the service with greater range of therapists to deliver the services in the community. Shared decision making will be facilitated in the triage hub to enable patient to make informed choice on their treatment options and enhance choice. The Contract is expected to commence in April 2026 for an initial period of 5 years. The contract may be extended for an additional period of 2 years at the sole discretion of the Authority. The estimated lifetime value of the contract is £ 38,500,000. (£ 5,500,000 per annum, Initial 5 Years is £27,500,000). Interested Organisations must express an interest via Atamis e-tendering portal. Bidders need to register on Atamis if they are not registered already. This can be done by clicking the link below https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome Once registered, you can express an interest in this project by clicking the following the link to this specific project ; https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome (Contract Reference: C331924). Please note that any submission of bids by any other means will not be considered. Additional information: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice inviting offers under the Competitive Process (The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, Regulation 11). The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The Procurement is being managed by the NHS London Commercial Hub (NHS LCH) hosted by NEL ICB, on behalf of the Authority. Submissions will be assessed in line with the award criteria stages specified in the tender documents. Interested Organisations must express an interest via Atamis e-tendering portal. You can express an interest in this project by clicking the following link to this specific project ; https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome (Contract Reference: C331924). Please note that any submission of bids by any other means will not be considered