Community X-Ray Service
For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSDFT) requires a mobile X-ray service to support alternative pathways of care that reduce demand on the emergency department (ED), reduces ambulance conveyance and subsequent admission for patients who fall (in their usual place of residence) and are at risk of fracture in line or, require X-ray to support out-of-hospital teams to keep people at home, where clinically safe to do so. The Service aims to support Torbay’s role in delivering neighbourhood health by enabling rapid community diagnostics as part of integrated neighbourhood pathways and the wider One Devon Falls and Frailty improvement approach.
The Service will provide mobile x-ray acquisition and reporting, supporting radiographer deployment to suitable patients in the community, collaborating with relevant Trust and system services. This includes working with Torbay’s neighbourhood health arrangements (including integrated neighbourhood teams and the Harbour model where applicable) so that community diagnostics are consistently “wired into” falls and frailty pathways and contribute to admission avoidance, safe discharge and recovery at home.
The service provider will be able to provide chest X rays for acute respiratory or cardiac concerns and pelvis and extremity imaging for fractures, foreign bodies, bone or joint pathology, soft tissue injury and suspected infection. Spine X rays are limited to known osteoporosis, while abdomen and skull imaging are excluded, and only appendicular poly trauma is in scope.
The Authority intends to award a contract pursuant to The Most Suitable Provider Process under Regulation 10 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 ("PSR").
This is a notice under Regulation 10 (7) of the Authority's intention to award the contract for the Service as described below.
For avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this proposed contract.
This new service will provide mobile x-ray acquisition and reporting, supporting radiographer deployment to suitable patients in the community, collaborating with relevant Trust and system services. This includes working with Torbay’s neighbourhood health arrangements (including integrated neighbourhood teams and the Harbour model where applicable) so that community diagnostics are consistently “wired into” falls and frailty pathways and contribute to admission avoidance, safe discharge and recovery at home.
This is a diagnostic imaging healthcare service delivered by an external provider, classified under the CPV code 85150000 5 – Medical imaging services
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust used five key criteria outlined in the NHS Provider Selection Regime for assessment of submission(s) in this process and selected a suitable provider the under MSP route.
These criteria were:
1. Quality and innovation
2. Value
3. Integration, collaboration and service sustainability
4. Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice
5. Social value
A notice (2026/S 000-053401) was published for 14 days informing the market of the intention to follow the Most Suitable Provider Process. The Trust sought providers who were suitable and capable to continue the delivery of this work.
Officers followed a robust evaluation against the above key criteria, after which the most suitable provider was selected.