Stoke on Trent CCG is seeking to commission an Electrocardiograph Service (24 hour tape).

The aim of the service is to aid early diagnostics and avoid the need for unnecessary referral to secondary care, or to support the shift of activity into a primary care setting. It is important that the use of 24 hour ECG is governed by evidence-based guidelines.

The service will provide a 24 hour ECG test with appropriate clinical interpretation for GPs who wish to investigate patients at low risk of significant cardiac pathology or who have previously had a 12-lead ECG and for whom they wish to investigate further.

The care pathway consists of pre-appointment communication with patients, the diagnostic investigation and a report being sent to the referrer which covers a description of the investigation, an interpretation of the results and a detailed management plan.

The Provider must aim to provide an excellent patient experience during all parts of the process – to include the examination and the administrative services. In order to measure this, Providers should have in place robust mechanisms for collecting patient feedback using approaches that reflect the diverse nature of their patient population. This should include as a minimum, a patient satisfaction survey, and one real time feedback mechanism. There must be a sound process for receiving and dealing with suggestions, compliments and complaints.

Patients meeting the criteria for this test will be referred by the requesting GP and will be invited to attend a local base for fitting the device. Instructions on its use and return will be provided.

Once patients have completed a 24-hour monitoring period they will be asked to return to the local base and have the device removed so that information can be digitally transferred for appropriate clinical interpretation and record storage.

This clinical interpretation will be made by either a Cardiac Physiologist or another appropriately trained professional within a period that will enable the registered GP to get a report within 2 working days of the device being returned.

The registered GP will use the interpretation to decide how to manage the patient from there on eg further diagnostic tests and / or discuss treatment options.

A detailed Service Specification has been written which explains exactly what is required from this Service.

The successful provider will be required to sign the standard NHS contract for the service, accepting all terms and conditions.

Bidders are invited to express an interest in providing this service by email to Elaine Butler, no later than Tuesday 10th September 2013. The following information must be stated in the email:

Organisation Name,

Organisation Address,

Telephone number,

Email Address,

Website Address,

Organisation Type.

The services to which this advertisement relates fall within Part B of Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations. Neither placement of this advertisement nor any other indication shall be taken to mean that the Contracting Authority intends to hold itself bound by any Regulations, save those applicable to Part B services.