Direct Access Community Radiology

This contract award notice provides notification that NHS Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group (the CCG) has agreed to directly award an interim transitional contract for the provision of Community Direct Access Radiology services to InHealth Ltd, for a period of 6 months (until 30th September 2019). This interim contract is deemed essential to ensure a continuity of an essential service provision to the CCG's patients.

The CCG considered transferring activity to its NWL acute providers but identified an increased likelihood of an adverse impact on quality and finance. NWL acute providers have confirmed they have insufficient capacity to accommodate increased activity. Issues with estates, equipment, and staffing would prevent providers from meeting KPIs and national diagnostic standards.

During this interim period, the 6 CCGs will procure an enhanced Direct Access community radiology service with amendments to the current contract terms and conditions, including tariffs, service specification, quality requirements, and volume per modality. The enhanced service will enable earlier diagnostics/diagnoses of conditions and reduce the number of inappropriate referrals to secondary care. The service will also support the management of care outside of a hospital setting.

The CCG has assessed that InHealth is the best provider to provide community direct access radiology for its patients as they are the incumbent and their selection will ensure no disruption to service. This contract will provide an interim transitional and stabilising arrangement with the provider until a new provider is selected. The CCGs plan to engage with the market during 2019 to assist development of its future specification of requirements, with the intention of informing the process to award substantive contracts to deliver the new models of care from October 2019 at the latest.