Market Engagement for the Provision of Lancashire and South Cumbria Adult Teledermatology Service

The SkinHub manages the receipt of referrals from LSC GPs (made available to all NHS GP practices in LSC), triages patients as suitable for teledermatology and manages the appointment booking, amendment and delivery of teledermatology image-capture at the 10 community-based image capture sites within KPIs indicated in the specification. This includes the training and clinical oversight of all image-capture related activities. The provider will need to facilitate the receipt of GP referrals to the SkinHub and ensure 100% coverage for GP practices to access SkinHub.

Image capture sites will be determined by the SkinHub provider and should be based on patient numbers, geographical and travel considerations making consideration to minimising health inequalities for patients and accessibility/availability of community-based estate to deliver image-capture. 10 image capture sites are funded within the contract value which is perceived to be adequate to cover LSC ICB area (which includes coverage of all sub-ICB areas; Blackburn w/Darwen, Blackpool, Chorley and South Ribble, East Lancashire, Fylde & Wyre, Greater Preston, Lancashire North, West Lancashire).

The Central Virtual Triage service will be a clinician led tele-triage service, clinically triaging every image taken in LSC at SkinHub image capture sites and also those taken in Trusts on the skin Urgent Suspected Cancer Pathway (USC). Trusts include Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. Responsibilities of the CVT service include; Clinical triage of teledermatology images, determining a working diagnosis, re-direction of the patient to most appropriate onward provider, patient communication, updating the provider of the image and GP where appropriate; within KPIs indicated in the specification.

LSC ICB has a current contract in place with PathPoint eDerma until 31st March 2028. The provider of the SkinHub, Spoke Sites and CVT will be required to use the eDerma platform for the duration of the current eDerma contract. . This includes referral management, image upload, clinical CVT image review, patients outcome letters and pathway administration.

Following this date a digital solution will need to be established by the provider to continue the service, with zero disruption to the CVT service; Contracting for a digital system has been built into the contract value.