Somerset CCG - GP Support Tool for Cancer Referral

Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (SCCG) is going to award a contract to C the Signs Limited to provide a Primary Care Cancer Early Diagnosis Digital Support Tool at practice level across Somerset. This is to support the NHS Long Term Plan that sets two objectives for improving cancer outcomes and will build on the progress already made through delivery of the recommendations of the Independent Cancer Taskforce (2015). The award of the contract will assist in the achievement of 75% early diagnosis target by 2028/29. This will be achieved as the tool promotes improved decision making which will: • Improve the quality of 2 week wait referrals enabling reduced delays in cancer diagnostic pathways, • Increase appropriate direct access diagnostic uptake, • Improves primary care safety netting procedures • Delivers the ambition of significant improvement in the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stage 1 and 2. The commissioners undertook a thorough options analysis to define market offerings against Somerset requirements. The outcome of which concluded that the C the Signs solution offered and best financial value and functionality in line with the long term plan and PCN DES 2021/22 service requirements. This included but is not limited to full integration to primary care systems with the added benefit of a tracking process for all tests in line with PCN DES and QOF requirements. The system has a self-audit function to ensure that data is input correctly and appropriately. Real time data is available for pathways and fully automated process means that there will be fewer errors which will lead to a better use of practice resources. The contract award will be for a period of three years at an annualised contract value of circa £80,000. The services are deemed to be subject to the full regime of current procurement legislation and governed by, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The Commissioner has voluntarily advertised this notice of intention to award this contract to reach as wide an audience as possible and to promote transparency and in line with regulation 32(2)(b)(ii). The Commissioner is firmly of the view that competition is absent for technical reasons, and that the organisation listed above is the only provider capable of meeting the CCG's needs with its intuitive and proactive systems functionality which is linked to the long term plan and PCN DES 2021/22 service requirements.