Supply of Enteral feeds, associated equipment, consumables and product related nursing services.

The Contracting Authorities are the South and Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Groups of Thurrock CCG, Basildon and Brentwood CCG, Castle Point and Rochford CCG, Southend CCG and Basildon CCG (the CGGs) and Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals, Southend University Hospital and Mid Essex Hospitals Trust — (the Hospitals) who wish to appoint a supplier of Enteral feeds, associated equipment and product related nursing services for patients that are registered with a South and Mid Essex GP or are inpatient in the hospitals. The Contracting Authorities manage the Enteral feeding needs of patients whether they are an inpatient or an out-patient and arrange for the appropriate Enteral feeding products to be supplied to their wards, community hospitals and hospices as well as to patients in their homes or usual place of residence. The community budget is retained by the CCGs rather than being delegated to South and Mid Essex General Practitioners (GPs) as this is an off prescription account. The contract will cover the supply of feeding pumps and their associated maintenance and support, the plastics and consumables for the Enteral feeding products, and nutritional products. In addition, the successful contractor will have the facility to offer on-going nursing advice and assistance to professional staff, patients, their family and other carers where necessary, the details of which will be explained further in the specification. The Contract price for products is to be the same in both the hospital and community settings.