The corporate services provider, NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), has rolled out its updated Contrast Media including Injectors and Associated Products framework agreement.

In its Autumn Budget, the government announced funding to kickstart the delivery of an extra two million NHS operations, scans and appointments a year in a bid to significantly cut waiting lists and reduce waiting times across England, allocating £1.5 billion for new surgical hubs and scanners, alongside £70 million for new radiotherapy machines.

Contrast media are used to improve pictures of the inside of the body during medical imaging procedures like CT, MRI, X-ray or ultrasound examinations.

Sometimes referred to as dye, a contrast agent is given to the patient ahead of a procedure, to help enhance and show more detailed images. 

With the continued growth in the number of imaging tests required, and elective recovery at the forefront, clinicians need to be equipped to diagnose patients quickly and efficiently.

Free to use and cost-effective, NHS SBS’s solution is available to contracting authorities in NHS organisations across the UK who seek to buy contrast materials from pre-approved suppliers.

The framework agreement provides them with a convenient route to do so, quickly and compliantly.  

NHS SBS’s framework agreement covers ionic iodine and non-ionic iodine for use in radiology, MRI, CT scans and x-rays, and provides access to a comprehensive range of contrast media products including injectors and associated products. 

The Contrast Media including Injectors and Associated Products framework agreement’s two Lots (or categories) comprise of Lot 1: contrast media. This comprises of non-ionic iodine-based contrast media (including high and low osmolarity) for use in all relevant procedures, as well as contrast agents for gastro-intestinal examinations including barium sulphate (includes lower GI tract exam media).

The sub-lots include all products which are used in conjunction with a CT scanner, MRI conjunction media, and X--ray Contrast media.

NHS SBS’s Contrast Media including Injectors and Associated Products framework agreement runs until 25 March 2028. 

For more information, contact the NHS SBS team at: sbs.hello@nhs.net