Community Urology Services

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB (BNSSG ICB) is extending the Specialist Community Urology Service to 31st March 2025. The Specialist Community Urology Service will provide a rapid access, one stop assessment and diagnostic service for routine urological conditions, delivered in non-hospital settings linked to the six GP Localities. The provider will offer the following tests as part of the service, when clinically appropriate: • Flexible cystoscopy • Ultrasound scan • Flow rate • Urine analysis The Service continues to provide excellent services and achieves very good reporting results, with no major concerns from the ICB. They have worked with the ICB to foster strong working relationships with local Trusts, helping to develop an integrated pathway for patients. Over recent months, the provider has been completing the onboarding of Trust consultants and has reported that this transition is developing well. The benefit of this collaboration between providers is evident in the work that has taken place between the provider, the Trust and the ICB Referrals Team. Given the backlogs the Acute providers are facing since the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to relieve pressure on the Trust, the three parties have been working to undertake a review of referrals, which were originally sent directly to the Trust. As a result, many of these referrals are being redirected to the provider, to divert some of the workload from the Trust which in turn is releasing capacity within the acute provision. In addition, the current service is working toward the ambition for an integrated care system and the current service is a key enabler in the delivery of the Healthier Together vision to move activity from hospitals to community / primary care settings. Recognising the pressures within the system and the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on services, the ICB has decided to direct-award a new Urology contract to GP Care under Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, and that competition is absent for technical reasons. The value of this notice is circa £3,1 million for the period 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2025.