NHS Southport & Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG - COVID - 19 Urgent Eyecare Services (CUES)

NHS Southport & Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG - COVID - 19 Urgent Eyecare Services (CUES) NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) are working on behalf of NHS Southport & Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG who are making a contract award for COVID - 19 Urgent Eyecare Services (CUES) to Primary Eyecare Services Ltd.

This is contract award is being made due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to national COVID-19 guidance, hospital ophthalmology departments have reduced all routine out-patient and surgical activity, providing services only for high risk patients and emergency care.

As a consequence, there is a risk that patients with urgent eye health issues will find it difficult to access care or may choose not to access care from a hospital setting, with potential implications for their sight and long-term eye health.

The CUES service will: • safely deliver urgent eye care in the community • deliver remote triage and consultations (by telephone or video) to minimise face-to-face appointments • make use of technology to reduce patient - practitioner contact time • reduce the expected burden on the rest of primary care (GP practices) and reduce pressures on ophthalmology departments within secondary care • maintain local access to quality eyecare services for the local population The contract will be awarded to be delivered on a case-by-case basis and it is anticipated that the contract value will be approximately £87,864 per annum.

The contract is being awarded for a 12-month period with the option to extend for a further 1 x 12-month period.

The contract will be reviewed as part of phase II recovery plans and any further national guidance.