Bolton NHS Foundation Trust manages both hospital and community services. Serving a population of approximately 300 000, the Trust is one of the largest non-teaching Trusts in the country. It employs a staff of approximately 5 000, providing district general hospital services including: accident and emergency, critical care, maternity, paediatrics, inpatient and day case services, day care services for care of the elderly, outpatient services, pathology, pharmacy and radiological/other investigative services. The trust requires a service provider for the delivery of vascular ultrasound services which will represent value for money, high quality service, combined with the ability to identify and implement service efficiencies. We require a high quality out-patient and in- patient vascular ultrasound service for Bolton. The Trust is reviewing the provision of vascular ultrasound within the Hospital site to ensure diagnostics are appropriately placed to support care pathways, the provider must be able to demonstrate the flexibility in point of delivery, portable scanning services and the ability to meet fluctuation in demand. The provider will be required to work collaboratively with the Trust to design and improve appropriate care pathways for optimum service provision.

The provider will manage the system for the booking of patient appointments and access to the Trust Radiology and PACS system will be provided subject to a high level inter-organisational agreement for the sharing of information. The provider will be required to supply the ultrasound equipment and ensure the scanners are regularly maintained, details of an ongoing equipment quality assurance (QA) and a replacement program is required. The Trust will provide suitable accommodation for the service. In addition the provider should be able to demonstrate appropriate staffing and Governance arrangements in line with British medical Ultrasound Society s.