The Trust is looking to carry out a preliminary market engagement exercise with potential providers to establish which solutions for Centralised Print (Hybrid Mail Solution) are currently available.

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust is currently looking for a hybrid mailing solution, that enables the distribute of letters created in a number of Trust clinical systems; either on paper through its centralised high-throughput printers along with associated leaflets; or using auditable electronic distribution mechanisms.

The Trusts current process for producing referral, appointment, cancellation, DNA and ad hoc letter is heavily reliant upon resource within the Appointments Team with regards to packing, posting, and sending letters manually.

The Trusts aim is to create a streamlined and auditable process around letter production and archiving, achieve greater savings from Royal Mail and provide a platform for electronic distribution internally and to both Patient and GP Community.

Please note: This exercise is not part of any pre-qualification, selection process or bid evaluation.

It is intended as an awareness, communication and information gathering exercise offering an opportunity for potential providers to supply information on their solution.

This therefore, does not represent a commitment from Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust to award a contract or an invite to tender to any provider that expresses an interest in this market engagement exercise.

At this stage Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust are in the process of developing a strategy for procuring the aforementioned solution.