A new community gynaecology service is set to launch in South Cumbria.
The service has been developed in response to rising demand, long waiting lists and increasing referrals into hospital gynaecology services.
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board has launched a procurement process for the service, inviting providers to bid for a three-year contract with an option to extend for a further two years.
The contract is expected to run from January 1 next year.
It is designed to bridge the gap between primary and secondary care, providing routine, non-consultant led gynaecology care in community settings across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
Jayne Mellor, the ICB’s director of acute commissioning, diagnostics and pathology, said: “This new community service will benefit patients across the whole of our region by improving access and providing the right gynaecological care in a setting that is more convenient to them.
“At the same time, this should significantly reduce pressure on hospital-based services.
“It will offer triage, advice and guidance, face-to-face and remote appointments, and one-stop care where possible. Anyone with suspected cancer, complex pathology or another excluded condition will be fast-tracked or referred into the most appropriate secondary care pathway.”
Once the procurement process is complete, the service will accept GP referrals for people aged 16 and over who are registered with a GP in Lancashire and South Cumbria and whose condition can be safely managed outside hospital.
