New community gynaecology service planned for Lancashire and South Cumbria

A new community gynaecology service designed to shorten waits and reduce unnecessary referrals to hospital is planned to launch in the new year.

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) has launched a procurement process for the new service, inviting providers to bid for the three-year contract, which has an option to extend for a further two years. The new contract would be expected to run from 1 January 2027.

The community tier 2 gynaecology service has been developed in response to rising demand, long waiting lists and increasing referrals into hospital gynaecology services.

It is designed to bridge the gap between primary care and secondary care and will provide 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 completed, the new 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.

The service model has been developed using patient engagement insights, with the aim of improving access, experience and outcomes for patients while supporting a more sustainable gynaecology pathway across the region.

Find out more: LSC Integrated Care Board :: Community tier 2 gynaecology service procurement