NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board and NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (referred to as the Commissioners) are inviting suitably qualified providers to attend a virtual Market Engagement Event in relation to the Provision of Community Musculoskeletal (MSK), Pain and Rheumatology Management Services.

*THIS NOTICE RELATES TO MARKET ENGAGEMENT ONLY*

NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (NNICB) and NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (DDICB) are seeking to commission a Community Musculoskeletal (MSK), Pain and Rheumatology Management Service. This notice intends to identify providers who would like to express an interest in providing the above service and to invite all interested parties to attend a Market Engagement Event with DDICB and NNICB.

Background
Poor MSK health has a significant impact on people, employers, the NHS and the wider economy. MSK conditions affect around 20 million people in the UK and are the leading cause of health-related economic inactivity.
To respond to this challenge, priority planning for MSK services is focused on delivering a sustained shift of activity from acute and hospital settings into primary and community-based services, ensuring that the majority of people are assessed, diagnosed and managed closer to home.
Our Strategic Direction
The future MSK model will:
• Address rising demand, increasing waiting times and growing clinical complexity
• Strengthen triage and pathway management, reducing unwarranted variation
• Ensure patients receive the right care, at the right level, first time
• Optimise referral quality and support self-management and rehabilitation
• Reduce avoidable pressure on orthopaedic, rheumatology and pain services
• Enable integrated working across primary care, community MSK, pain and secondary care services, with clear escalation pathways and seamless end to end patient journeys
National Context
This work aligns with the NHS 10-Year Plan and national guidance, which sets a clear direction for MSK and pain services, supported by Versus Arthritis and the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA), focusing on prevention, community-based care, and digital innovation; the three major areas that directly impact MSK and pain services:
1. Hospital to community: MSK patients will greatly benefit from physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and pain management in community settings.
2. Sickness to prevention: Strong emphasis on early intervention, lifestyle support (e.g. weight management, smoking cessation), and self-management tools to reduce the burden of chronic MSK conditions.
3. Analogue to digital: Digital tools like the NHS App are being promoted to help patients manage appointments and treatment plans.
In addition, the GIRFT MSK recommendations highlight the importance of a single point of access (SPOA) to improve referral quality and ensure patients are directed appropriately.
Proposed Service Model
The future service will include:
• A Single Point of Access (SPOA) for all eligible referrals
• Coverage across community MSK physiotherapy, Clinical Assessment and Triage Service (CATS), rheumatology and pain management (excluding red flag pathways)
• Clinically-led triage to ensure appropriate, timely access to care
• Integrated pathways with clear step-up and step-down arrangements

MARKET ENGAGEMENT EVENT
The event details are as follows:
Date: 01 July 2026
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Venue: Online via MS Teams

The agenda will be:
1 - Welcome & Introductions
2 - Specification & Service Model
3 - Procurement Process
4 - Questions
5 - Close

A draft service specification detailing the requirements of the service as well as supporting activity and financial information can be found within the attachments area of the project on the e-Tendering portal (Atamis). Providers will have the option to give feedback about the draft Service Specification and also have the opportunity to provide comments on any perceived issues or challenges.

It is the current expectation that the service will be split into Lots as follows:
Lot 1: Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
Lot 2: Derby and Derbyshire

Please note, this Prior Information Notice and market engagement relates to a service/contract in scope of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The Commissioners do not bind themselves to commencing or running any Provider Selection Process further to, or as a result of, this market engagement.

Any future Procurement / Provider Selection Process conducted will be subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

Any and all information/documents that are made available as part of this market engagement exercise is draft and subject to change. All timeframes associated with any future process are indicative and also subject to change.