National Framework Agreement for Teleradiology, Telepathology and Telemedicine Services

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust wishes to establish a Framework Agreement under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (and as amended) (the PSR) for use by all Relevant Authorities (and any future successors to these organisations). "Relevant authority" is defined in section 12ZB(7) of the National Health Service Act 2006. It means a combined authority, an integrated care board, a local authority in England, NHS England, an NHS foundation trust or an NHS trust established under section 25 of that Act. For the avoidance of doubt, any successor bodies of any of the above entities shall be entitled to place Orders and shall be deemed Relevant Authorities for the purposes of this Framework Agreement. The demand on radiology and pathology services is increasing. Teleradiology and telepathology services offer trusts an alternative to manage workload and support with the reduction of backlogs. Teleradiology is the transmission of patients' radiological images between different locations for the production of a primary report, expert second opinion or clinical review. Telepathology is the electronic transmission of pathological images, usually derived from microscopes, from one location to another, for the purpose of interpretation and diagnosis. The different locations can be within the same organisation or in different organisations, within the same country or across international boundaries. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, through its Commercial Procurement Services, wishes to award a national framework agreement with two Lots: Lot 1 - Teleradiology and Telemedicine Services Lot 2 - Telepathology Services The term of the framework agreement will be 4 years.