Electronic Eyecare Referral Systems - Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS

The purpose of this Notice is to provide information on the recently awarded contract for an Electronic Eyecare Referral System (EeRS) within the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System.

The Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS are working to improve Ophthalmology services across primary, community and secondary care. This is in order to respond to an ever-increasing demand for secondary care services. The demand is predicted to rise as a result of earlier diagnosis for chronic conditions, new treatments, increasing population changes and the damaging impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Eye care services have traditionally been a hospital-based speciality, however, with the development of advanced equipment and education, many ophthalmic assessments and treatments can be carried out effectively in primary care settings.

On 22nd November 2021 West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (as the host CCG on behalf of the Herts and West Essex ICS) published a call-off tender using the national Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Electronic Eyecare Referral Systems which was established in January 2021. Following a compliant procurement process the contract has been awarded to Nonmedical Limited trading as Cinapsis.

The initial contract is for a pilot which will be delivered across the East and North Hertfordshire CCG area, should this pilot be successful the service will be extended across Herts Valleys CCG and West Essex CCG areas. The contract will be for a period of 12 months with the option to extend for a further 12 months (1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 with the option to extend from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024).

The contract value is for the 2 year period and may increase should the service be extended to other commissioning organisations across the HWE ICS up to a maximum of £147,000.