The Provision of a Treatment Pathway for Low Complexity Spinal Patients

The Contracting Authority intends to establish a framework agreement with suitably-qualified and experienced medical service providers to deliver end-to-end outpatient assessment, diagnostic and surgical treatment pathways for a cohort of approximately 1,200 patients. A low-complexity spine patient is defined as an individual with a straightforward, one or two level or localised spinal condition that requires standard surgical or medical management with minimal technical difficulty and lower physiological risk. Under the framework agreement, the successful tenderers will assume responsibility for patients from the first specialist outpatient assessment, through surgical intervention (if clinically indicated) until discharge.

The successful framework operators shall assume clinical responsibility for the entire patient-care pathway, from initial specialist assessment through all clinically-indicated diagnostic, conservative, interventional and surgical management measures and associated specialist review. The service must be delivered by appropriately-qualified and accredited spinal surgical, medical, nursing, physiotherapy, radiology and allied health professionals, with access to anaesthetic / pain expertise where required.