Assisted Conception Unit (ACU) Joint Venture

Strategic Joint Venture Partner for Assisted Conception Unit Services
1. Overview
The proposed service model is expected to support the delivery and expansion of high-quality assisted conception treatment pathways for NHS-funded patients and private patients. The ACU is expected to be located off the main acute hospital site but within a reasonable catchment area of the Authority, currently described for planning purposes as approximately 3.5 miles from the main acute site.
The anticipated scope includes, subject to finalisation, advanced fertility treatment and related services, including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), egg donation, sperm donation, embryo donation, fertility preservation, outpatient fertility consultations, ultrasound and monitoring, counselling, pharmacy / medicines management, cryostorage, and the potential to offer enhanced services such as pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT).
The Authority currently anticipates that the commercial/legal model will comprise a long-term strategic corporate joint venture, anticipated to be structured as either a limited company or LLP, together with a linked service provision arrangement under which the joint venture will provide relevant services back into the Authority for patients receiving NHS-funded care, whilst also supporting private patient pathways.
The provider / JV partner is expected to bring the necessary clinical expertise, operational capacity and commercial appetite to collaborate with the Authority on service establishment, mobilisation and operation, including capital investment, premises and equipment, digital integration, workforce matters including the anticipated TUPE transfer of certain nursing and administrative staff, regulatory compliance and assumption of operational risk, subject to the final procurement documents.
Secondary care fertility clinic services operated by the Authority are currently considered to be out of scope of this...