Expressions of Interest are invited for the provision of a Bariatric Surgery Initiative to assess and treat as appropriate approximately 100 patients seeking Specialist Obesity Surgery.

The Southern Health and Social Services Board acting on behalf of the four Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland, invites expressions of interest from organisations wishing to carry out an assessment and treatment initiative for adult patients seeking specialist obesity surgery in Northern Ireland. Please note that more than one provider may be selected.

The Boards would like to commission a package of care to include:
- Outpatient multidisciplinary assessment (preferably carried out in Northern Ireland)
- Surgical procedure to include the range of procedures appropriate to the condition and reflective of recognised up to date good practice
- Immediate post operative care and rehabilitation including appropriate access to ICU / HDU and psychological support if necessary
- Providers should be in a position to deliver 24 hour resident medical cover for inpatients, with appropriate access to senior advice including on-site support where necessary
- All follow up outpatient care, including surgical and dietetic review, for 12 months post surgery. If this can be delivered in Northern Ireland that would be an advantage
- A process for the local team to discuss patients operated on within this initiative and presenting with complications post-discharge should be outlined.

Applications from experienced providers who would be willing to act in a mentoring capacity for local teams would be welcome. This could include visits by local team members to the provider unit. It is unlikely that applications from centres who could deliver less than 40 procedures will be considered.

Please write with expressions of interest to:
Peter McLaughlin, Head of Independent Sector Procurement, Eastern Health and Social Services Board, 12 – 22 Linenhall Street, Belfast BT2 8BS

Written expressions of interest should be in a sealed envelop marked "Bariatric Surgery Expression of Interest" and should be returned so as to arrive no later than 4.00 pm on 9 May 2008. If a response and information pack has not been received by 14 May 2008, please contact Ian Hanash at 02890 553 906. If you have any queries about this proposal, please contact: Joanne McClean (tel 02837 414 564) email joannemc@shssb.n-i.nhs.uk