National Joint Registry – Data management, solutions, statistical analysis, reporting & associated services

Closing date for applications: 4th June 2026 5:00 pm

HQIP is engaging the market before running a tender to commission the delivery of the data management, solutions, statistical analysis, reporting and associated services for the National Joint Registry (NJR).

The contract is expected to initially be delivered for a period of 5 years, at a maximum total budget of up to £16,080,000 including VAT and £13,400,000 GBP excluding VAT. Bids exceeding this limit will be rejected. There is potential to extend the contract for up to two additional years as well as the option to include other aspirational measures (which will be defined in the service specification) meaning the ceiling value has the potential to be higher.

Due to the unknowns in advance of holding the premarket engagement session, it is currently expected that the extension value will be a 2 year pro rata of the core 5 year funding, estimated at £5,360,000 excluding VAT.

This proposed extension value may also include pro rata funding of any additional aspirational measures invoked in the first 5 years of the contract. For example: If an aspirational annual requirement costing £500,000 per year is invoked in year 5, then the extension funding (if the aspirational measure is continued) will be the above figures plus the additional £500,000 per year.

Further to this funding, the final specification will contain a list of aspirational measures which will be expected to be modified into the contract, should the need and funding become available. The aspirational intent value, excluding the potential 2 year extension, is unknown at point of drafting this notice, so, an estimated value of £15,000,000 excluding VAT is applied to form the maximum total estimated value AT POINT OF DRAFTING THIS NOTICE. This aspirational intent has the potential to be invoked fully, partially, or not at all, and the Authority cannot guarantee that the successful supplier will be required to do any of the aspirational measures that will be listed in the final specification.

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) is seeking to procure the following services for the National Joint Registry (NJR): NJR data management, solutions, statistical analysis and reporting, and (optional) associated services.

HQIP is not only looking for organisations to provide these services but also to partner with organisations that can demonstrate the following characteristics:

  • Strategic and solution orientated
  • Proactive, responsive and flexible
  • Ability to add value
  • Committed to continual improvement
  • Communicative and effective team player
  • Innovative.

Joint replacements have become common and highly successful operations that bring many patients improved mobility and relief from pain. Thousands of such operations take place in the UK every year.

A wide range of implants can be used in joint replacement operations and the NJR helps to monitor the performance of these implants and the effectiveness of different types of surgery; improving clinical standards and benefiting patients, clinicians and the orthopaedic industry.

The NJR was set up in April 2002 by the Department of Health (DH) and Welsh Government following a National Audit Office report into a failing ‘3M’ hip implant. From 1 April 2008, hosting arrangements for the NJR were transferred from the DH to HQIP.

The NJR has collected hip and knee replacement data since April 2003, ankle replacement data since April 2010 and data for elbow and shoulder replacements since April 2012.

The DH provided the initial start-up funding for the NJR. However, the system is now self-financing through a subscription charge on each ‘eligible’ hip, knee, ankle, elbow and shoulder implant which is payable by NHS Trusts (England), Health and Social Care Trusts (Northern Ireland), Local Health Boards (Wales) and independent (private) healthcare providers. The cost to the NHS was reduced in 2014 through a contributory financial subscription arrangement with the orthopaedic device industry whereby an annual subscription is charged for provision of the NJR Supplier Feedback service and other bespoke reporting.

Since April 2014, the NJR subscription has been invoiced annually and the income managed in a dedicated fund at HQIP, governed by the NJR Board (NJRB).

The purpose of the National Joint Registry, which covers England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the States of Guernsey and the Channel Islands, is to collect high quality and relevant data about joint replacement surgery in order to provide an early warning of issues relating to patient safety. In a continuous drive to improve the quality of outcomes and ensure the quality and cost-effectiveness of joint replacement surgery, the NJR will monitor and report on outcomes, and support and enable related research.

NJR strategic objectives

The NJR’s strategic goals are to:

  • Monitor in real time the outcomes achieved by brand of prosthesis, hospital and surgeon, and highlight where these fall below an expected performance in order to allow prompt investigation and to support follow-up action.
  • Inform patients, clinicians, providers and commissioners of healthcare, regulators and implant suppliers of the outcomes achieved in joint replacement surgery.
  • Evidence variations in outcome achieved across surgical practice in order to inform best practice.
  • Enhance patient awareness of joint replacement outcomes to better inform patient choice and patients’ quality of experience through engagement.
  • Support evidence-based purchasing of joint replacement implants for healthcare providers to support quality and cost effectiveness.
  • Support suppliers in the routine post-market surveillance of implants and provide information to clinicians, patients, hospital management and the regulatory authorities.

Current expectations – to be defined

Core service provision is expected to include:

  • Data systems and ingestion
  • Data processing and cleaning
  • Dynamic reporting and dashboards
  • Supplier feedback
  • Annual report statistical outputs
  • Outlier detection, reporting and analysis
  • PROMs  and PREMs collection
  • Service desk and operational support.

Further information

Further details of the existing programme can be found at: https://www.njrcentre.org.uk/.

The Authority is looking to build on the successes of the existing programme currently contracted with NEC Software Solutions UK Limited.

Further information as well as details of the current programme can be found at: https://www.necsws.com/case-studies/healthcare/national-joint-registry

HQIP will be holding a pre-market engagement session with potential suppliers on Monday 8th June 2026, 14:00-16:00.

This meeting will focus on the commissioning of a host for the NJR Data Management, Analysis & Associated Services. The session will then be followed by a closed meeting where funders will discuss the content of the premarket engagement session, and decide on the scope of the specification. Also in attendance will be representatives from the patient network, incumbent supplier(s) and implant manufacturers.

The aim of the pre-market engagement session is for interested parties to hear and contribute to discussions with system experts and patient groups that will feed into NJR’s final decisions on the scope of the tender during this next contract period, and the anticipated outcomes over the 5-7 years of the audit.

The existing specification is available for review by any interested parties and whilst it will provide information on how the current programme was scoped, it is important to understand that the recommissioning of this programme and its specification will be amended to suit future ambitions.

At this point, the Authority is planning to run this procurement under an open tender.

The proposed dates (subject to change solely at the Authority’s discretion) are as follows:

  • 8th June 2026: Pre Market Engagement Session
  • Publication of tender opportunity: July – August 2026
  • Evaluation of submitted bids: October – November 2026
  • Award: January – February 2027
  • Mobilisation: February – August 2027
  • Contract start – 1st August 2027.

Whilst the Authority intends to stick to the timeline, it may deviate away from it at any time.

The expected value of the contract will be subject to increase under aspirational intent measures which will be defined in the service specification at point of tender. The authority cannot commit to this work at this stage, but it may become a requirement and form part of the initial specification between the premarket engagement event and the tender opportunity going live.

The aspirational intent will cover the value range and mechanisms for invoking each element of it.

Session will be held on: Monday 8th June 2026, 14:00 – 16:00

Deadline for requests to participate in the premarket engagement event: Thursday 4th June 2026, 17:00

To register interest for the premarket engagement event, please complete the registration form at: https://forms.office.com/e/MKKh28r8ty

Premarket engagement event registration