PR2644 - Histopathology & Cytology Managed Laboratory Service

UCL Partners Procurement Services, on behalf of Whittington Health NHS Trust (WH), is seeking to develop a strategy for the future of WH’s Histopathology and Cytopathology service as further outlined in this summary. Such a strategy will seek to deliver optimum patient care and be in accordance with both the Department of Health's view on the delivery of effective pathology services as outlined in the 2008 Carter Report and the North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan for Health and Social Care services (June 2016).

WH is an Integrated Care Organisation (ICO) serving the diverse population of North Central London. It comprises the Whittington Hospital in Archway (providing acute secondary care), as well as several community services across Islington and Haringey. The Whittington Hospital is a Teaching District General Hospital forming one of the main campuses of UCL Medical School.

The Histo/Cytopathology department is UKAS accredited and in each financial year receives approximately 12,100 Histology requests spanning a wide range of specialities (major surgical resections received for breast and colorectal), 1,100 Diagnostic Cytology requests and 21,400 Cervical Cytology samples.

WH wishes to explore the potential advantages of its Histopathology and Cytopathology service being delivered by another service provider and for this Tender, will utilise the Restricted procedure process.

The Trust requires the following from within this Tender process;

• Processing of histology specimens from receipt of sample to dispatch/release of reports.
• Processing of diagnostic cytology specimens from receipt of sample to dispatch/release of reports.
• Processing of gynaecological cytology specimens from receipt of sample to release of reports.

In conjunction with the laboratory services, the Trust is also seeking a solution for the Medical / Clinical Reporting aspects of their Histo/Cytopathology service. This includes;

• Clinical advice.
• Surgical cut-up.
• Reporting including Intraoperative Diagnostics.
• Multi-Disciplinary Team Meeting preparation, attendance and participation.
• Adult consented Post Mortems.
• Teaching and Training.
• Research, Audit and Education.

In addition to the Laboratory Staff, the service also includes budget for four Consultant Pathologist posts and is should be noted that two positions are currently vacant. There is also a Registrar Post, currently filled by a Trust grade doctor ("the Doctors"). WH's expectation is that TUPE will apply to all the current staff in post involved in any transfer i.e. all the Laboratory Staff to the new service provider and the Doctors and their Administrative Support staff to a partner NHS Trust.

A winning bidder will need to enter into an arrangement with an NHS Trust whereby that Trust will employ the Doctors and Admin. Staff. It is for bidders to determine how the arrangement with the third party NHS Trust will operate (whether by way of a sub-contract, consortium or other arrangement) and bids should be priced accordingly.

WH is seeking a financially robust strategy within the detail of a Managed Services Contract (MSC), for an initial period of 5 years. Tenderers should be prepared to verify the robustness of their financial proposals against the requirements of HMRC. The maximum price cap for this tender is valued at £1.6m per annum.