The NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria has launched the procurement process for a new community gynaecology service that is due to begin on 1 January 2027. The three-year contract— with an option to extend for a further two years—intends to ease pressure on hospital gynaecology departments by providing routine care in community settings.
What the new service will provide
The service will operate at Tier 2 level, offering non-consultant-led gynaecological care designed to sit between primary care and hospital services. According to documents published by the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), the model will include:
- triage and advice and guidance for GPs;
- face-to-face and remote consultations;
- one-stop care where clinically possible;
- fast-tracking or direct referral into secondary care for suspected cancer, complex pathology or other excluded conditions.
The ICB said the service will accept referrals from GPs for people aged 16 and over whose conditions can be managed safely outside a hospital setting, provided patients are registered with a GP in Lancashire.
"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."
The comment came from Jayne Mellor, the ICB's director of acute commissioning, diagnostics and pathology, who emphasised that the service aims to reduce waiting lists and unnecessary hospital appointments by managing more routine cases in the community.
Local impact and patient pathway
By offering an alternative to hospital-based outpatient clinics, the scheme is intended to:
- shorten waiting times for routine gynaecological problems;
- improve patient experience by delivering care closer to home;
- ensure quicker access to specialist pathways where necessary.
Patients with suspected malignancies or more complex conditions will not be managed exclusively by the community service; instead, they will be channelled into the appropriate secondary care pathways to safeguard safety and timeliness of diagnosis.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Contract length | 3 years (plus option to extend by 2 years) |
| Service start date | 1 January 2027 |
| Age range | 16 and over (GP-registered in Lancashire) |
The service model was developed using patient engagement insights, the ICB added, and is intended to improve access, experience and clinical outcomes across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
As procurement proceeds, the ICB will be responsible for awarding the contract and setting up referral mechanisms with local GPs and community clinics. Patients and local clinicians will be watching how the new arrangements affect waiting lists and the balance of care between community and hospital services in the months after the service launches.
