PROVISION OF PATIENT TRANSPORT SERVICES (PTS) FOR THE LEICESTERSHIRE INTEGRATED BOARD (ICB)

NHS Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB) is seeking to commission a provider or providers to deliver their Patient Transport Services (PTS), to include Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS). The contract currently operating is due to expire on the 31st of March 2024.

The ICB wishes to receive responses to the Invitation to Tenders (ITTs) from suitably qualified and experienced Providers with the necessary skill and experience (or a demonstrable ability to provide the skill and experience) to provide the range of services required.

The ICB has re-designed the way Patient Transport Services are specified in Leicestershire. They are looking for stand-alone services for specific cohorts of patients which have varying needs. To that end the re-procurement will be split into 3 lots so 3 separate contracts may be awarded, however, bidders will have the opportunity to bid for all of the lots or any combination of lots. For the avoidance of doubt each bid will be scored on their individual merit. Therefore, it is possible that contracts could be issued to a single provider.

The lots are split as follows:
Lot 1 Dedicated Renal Dialysis
The Provider is responsible for delivering a dedicated renal dialysis transport provision to all patients who require Dialysis & nocturnal Dialysis and are registered to an LLR GP.
Lot 2 TRIPPS
This service will provide High Dependency/Blue Light, Bariatric and End of Life out of University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) Emergency Departments (ED) and LLR Healthcare Settings to their destination.
Lot 3 NEPTS
The service will provide transport, where a medical condition means that a patient would struggle to safely attend their treatment independently, to LLR registered patients. This will include transport to and from outpatient appointments, discharges, admissions, non-High Dependency transfers, Community Mental Health appointments and therapy groups, including on the day activity and planned.

The aim of the services is to deliver high quality, dignified and safe patient transport to specific cohorts of patients, ensuring all eligible patients are able to travel in a timely manner, without adverse impact on their medical condition.

The services will be person-centred, and providers will need to be committed to the 'personalisation' of the whole service(s) from the point of first contact when the booking is made, through to pick-up, relationship of the driver with the patient (and escort if applicable), journey to the destination, supporting the patient in preparation for their transport and arrival at home or nominated place of residence or other healthcare setting.

The ICB is also seeking innovation from providers that can maximise the use of information technology and fully utilise technological solutions to deliver service efficiencies to drive quality, safety, sustainability, value for money and improved patient and service user satisfaction.