Provision of a web based medicines optimisation service.

North East London CCG (NEL CCG) is seeking expressions of interest from organisations who are established providers of a web based medicines optimisation information service which can provide a comprehensive set of dynamic resources which include data to support benchmarking activities, bulletins, guidance, webinars, professional networks, support for PCN clinical pharmacists and prescribing indicators to support the medicines optimisation agenda and to further support the implementation of key medicines optimisation priorities across the whole healthcare system in ICSs, PCNs, Practices and secondary care/community trusts.

NEL CCG currently has a GP registered population of over 2 million patients served by 276 GP practices organised into 49 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) across seven local authorities and the Corporation of the City of London with five NHS provider Trusts (3 Acute and 2 Mental Health Trusts).

For the delivery of the web based medicines optimisation information service, the provider is required to deliver

• Webinars to pharmacists and other health care professionals to support learning and professional peer support.
• Prescribing data driven reports (e.g. scorecards, financial reports and support tools) - updated monthly and refreshed periodically in line with priorities of CCG commissioners and NHSE .
• Social marketing tools for locally led campaigns
• Evidence based bulletins, briefings, toolkits and implementation materials about medicines.
• A web based hub for sharing of good practice in the field of medicines optimisation
• Pseudo anonymised patient level data reports to support key medicines optimisation priorities
• Flexibility to add further services into this package including e-learning resources
• Access to materials relating to the governance of the Primary Care Rebates Schemes
• Access to resources for ICS staff, PCN and practice staff as well as secondary care trusts', community trusts' and care homes' medicines optimisation teams

Additional information: The CCG currently procures this service from a NHS funded not-for-profit organisation called PrescQIPP and it provides access to prescribing resources online via a platform that provides evidence-based resources, targeted data sets, intelligence tools, educational packages and implementation materials for primary care commissioners all of which have been produced according to a robust quality assurance process. PrescQIPP also provides medicines optimisation resources for use by prescribers and pharmacists e.g. bulletins, GP IT medicines searches etc. These resources for commissioners, practices, pharmacists help to ensure that treatments prescribed to patients are safe, effective and good value for money. The wide ranging data available from PrescQIPP together with the resources and professional networks makes the platform and service offering unique and an efficient resource for medication reviews.

The PrescQIPP service has been procured through an annual licence arrangement.

PrescQIPP has been in use in North East London for at least 7 years. PrescQIPP is unique in the way it provides specialist expertise needed to support medicine optimisation across North East London through its unique provision of data analysis reports, information bulletins, GP IT searches and educational support.

PrescQIPP is a CIC that was set up by other CCGs specifically to provide shared resources and independent guidance to prescribing leads around medications optimisation. Almost all CCGs in England subscribe to PrescQIPP.

NEL CCG believes that PrescQIPP is the only supplier of these services in England and based on that belief intends to directly award a contract PrescQIPP for a continuation of the services. This award will be using a Regulation 32 PCR negotiated procedure without prior publication.

Interested organisations must express an interest and submit the completed EOI form to:

…@nhs.net

Please note that any expressions of interests by any other means will not be considered.

The planned contract will commence on 1st April 2023 and run for a five year contract term expiring on 31st March 2028.

In line with the passage of the Health and Care Bill it is envisaged that CCGs will be abolished and replaced by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) on 1st July 2022. Any reference to CCGs as Contracting Authorities in this procurement should be interpreted as referring to the ICBs that will take their place in due course.