---
title: "MSK/Diagnostic Uncertainty service"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-047d54"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-047d54"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-047d54.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-047d54.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NHS FRIMLEY INTEGRATED CARE BOARD"
published: "2024-12-05"
---

# MSK/Diagnostic Uncertainty service

Buyer: NHS FRIMLEY INTEGRATED CARE BOARD  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-047d54

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## Summary

NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board, based in Windsor, UK, has awarded a contract to Dr K Lothe and Partners LLP for the provision of an MSK/Diagnostic Uncertainty service in Surrey Heath. This service is designed for patients aged over 18 and includes a range of community advice, assessment, and treatment services aimed at supporting GPs and community physiotherapists. The procurement process followed the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) and the final contract was awarded on 1st July 2024, with an expiration date of 30th June 2025. The contract length is one year with an optional one-year extension, making the full expected lifetime contract value £796,167.36. Notably, the procurement adheres to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, falling outside the scope of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses, particularly those specialized in health services, physiotherapy, and related multidisciplinary healthcare. Businesses that can offer expertise in biomechanical, pharmacological, and psychological assessments, as well as those skilled in managing complex MSK conditions, would find this contract particularly well-suited. Additionally, firms capable of providing holistic patient care, including non-ultrasound guided injections, lifestyle advice, and pharmacological management, can leverage this contract to expand their operations and demonstrate their capability in a high-value public healthcare setting.

## Notice

NHS Frimley ICB ("the Commissioner") sought to commission Dr K Lothe and Partners LLP to provide an MSK/Diagnostic Uncertainty service. MSK/Diagnostic Uncertainty service for Surrey Heath is for patients aged over 18. The service is a multi-disciplinary community advice, assessment and treatment service to support GPs and community physiotherapists in diagnostic assessment and treatment planning for patients with challenging MSK conditions; i.e. patients where diagnostic uncertainly exists and/or the patient has been unresponsive to previous treatments. The normal referral route into the service is via a patient's GP. Referrals are also received from Community Physiotherapy providers for diagnostic uncertainty. The initial face-to-face clinical assessment uses a biopsychosocial model, and draws on a multi-disciplinary team of experts. It includes access to biomechanical, pharmacological and psychological assessment. The aim of the clinical assessment is to identify a diagnosis, where possible, support the referrer and patient in the management of ongoing symptoms where there continues to be diagnostic uncertainty, develop and implement an agreed treatment and/or management plan. The majority of patients after the initial assessment will be: - Referred back to the GP with a diagnosis and clear management plan or - Referred to the community physiotherapy services (Choice of provider to be offered at point of referral) or - Identified as suitable for the Community Pain Service or - Referred on to services outside community services. Treatments are limited to: - Non-ultrasound guided injections / Ultrasound guided injections - Advice and signposting to supported self-management and positive lifestyle options, including physical activity and weight management, smoking and diet - Pharmacological management advice including managing medication and flare-ups. Follow-up appointments are also provided under this pathway.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

NHS Frimley ICB ("the Commissioner") sought to commission an MSK/Diagnostic Uncertainty service. A summary of the purposes and objectives of the services are below. MSK/Diagnostic Uncertainty service for Surrey Heath is for patients aged over 18. The service is a multi-disciplinary community advice, assessment and treatment service to support GPs and community physiotherapists in diagnostic assessment and treatment planning for patients with challenging MSK conditions; i.e. patients where diagnostic uncertainly exists and/or the patient has been unresponsive to previous treatments. The normal referral route into the service is via a patient's GP. Referrals are also received from Community Physiotherapy providers for diagnostic uncertainty. The initial face-to-face clinical assessment uses a biopsychosocial model, and draws on a multi-disciplinary team of experts. It includes access to biomechanical, pharmacological and psychological assessment. The aim of the clinical assessment is to identify a diagnosis, where possible, support the referrer and patient in the management of ongoing symptoms where there continues to be diagnostic uncertainty, develop and implement an agreed treatment and/or management plan. The majority of patients after the initial assessment will be: - Referred back to the GP with a diagnosis and clear management plan or - Referred to the community physiotherapy services (Choice of provider to be offered at point of referral) or - Identified as suitable for the Community Pain Service or - Referred on to services outside community services. Treatments are limited to: - Non-ultrasound guided injections / Ultrasound guided injections - Advice and signposting to supported self-management and positive lifestyle options, including physical activity and weight management, smoking and diet - Pharmacological management advice including managing medication and flare-ups. Follow-up appointments are also provided under this pathway. The Commissioner is directly awarding a contract to the existing provider Dr K Lothe and Partners LLP in accordance with the criteria outlined in Regulation (9) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The total value of the contract for the initial one-year contract term is PS396,893. The full lifetime contract value (one year + optional one year extension) is PS796,167.36. The one-year contract period will commence on the 1st July 2024. This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners. Additional information: Evidence that Dr K Lothe and Partners LLP have satisfied the existing 23/24 contract to a sufficient standard according to the detail outlined in the 23/24 contract: they provided all of the required documentation, information and policies for the existing contract. They have: followed the contractual service specification, not deviated from Frimley ICB Safeguarding requirements, charged the correct local prices as per the contract, issued invoices correctly in accordance with the Frimley ICB process, complied with Quality reporting requirements, and followed Schedule 6A reporting requirements. Dr K Lothe and Partners LLP have complied with/not fallen foul of the 23/24 NHS Standard Contract (Shorter Form) Service Conditions, including Service Conditions in relation to the following: service standards, co-operation, information requirements, safeguarding, payment terms and quality requirements. They have also complied with/not fallen foul of the 23/24 Shorter Form General Conditions, including those relating to: liability & indemnity, assignment & sub-contracting, and Information Governance. The new contracting arrangements are based on a rollover of the previous MSK contracting arrangements/schedules which the provider has already satisfied/complied with to a high standard, and so the provider will highly likely to be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard.

Options: Option to extend by up to 1 year

### Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 24th July 2024. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039190-2024 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 Dec 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 17 Jun 2024 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £796,167 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NHS FRIMLEY INTEGRATED CARE BOARD |
| Locality | WINDSOR |
| Post town | Slough |
| Postcode | SL4 3DP |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ15 Berkshire East |
| Local authority | Windsor and Maidenhead |
| Electoral ward | Old Windsor |
| Westminster constituency | Windsor |
| Delivery location | TLJ25 West Surrey |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | DR K LOTHE AND PARTNERS LLP, TRADING AS CAMBERLEY PHYSIOTHERAPY AND SPORTS INJURY CLINIC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85100000 - Health services

## Release History

- 5 Dec 2024 at 10:32 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039190-2024
- 5 Dec 2024 at 10:31 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039188-2024
- 26 Nov 2024 at 11:29 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038133-2024
- 15 Jul 2024 at 10:28 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/021623-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://www.frimley.icb.nhs.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-047d54. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-047d54.json.