Cataract Surgery - Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board

The purpose of this notice is to inform the market that a contract has been awarded for the delivery of Cataract Surgery to Community Health and Eye Care Limited (CHEC). This Contract Award Notice follows the publication of a Voluntary Ex-Ante Notice (VEAT) on 22nd December 2022 within the governments Find a Tender Service (reference number 2022/S 000-36463) informing the market of the intention of Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB to award the contract following successful completion of a voluntary standstill period prior to formal contract award.

There has been recent growth in the activity for cataract surgery which has mainly been attributed to long waiting lists at the Acute Trusts and patient choice to access services closer to where they reside. Patients are able to choose any provider listed on the NHS e-Referral Service.

Community Health and Eye Care Ltd is one of the independent sector providers listed on the NHS e-Referral Service currently offering cataract surgery. The activity with CHEC is currently undertaken as non-contract activity as the ICB does not have a formal contract in place with CHEC for cataract surgery.

Where there are established flows of patient activity with a material financial value, the legal right for patient choice applies to any provider listed on the National Directory of Services (eRS), and therefore, activity flows are expected to continue to CHEC. it is recommended that an NHS Standard Contract is in place to enable formal contractual arrangements are established to provide appropriate assurance of service quality for commissioners and patients.

The contract will start on 9th January 2023 and will expire on 31st March 2024.