Preliminary Market Consultation MSK
National digital solution for musculoskeletal (MSK) services to improve access, reduce waiting times, and enhance economic productivity across Scotland PMC Closes 18th November 2026
This Preliminary Market Consultation
notice is intended to help buyers potentially source or create innovative goods, works or services for the public sector in Scotland. It is NOT a regulated procurement notice and is NOT an intention to procure goods, services, or works at this point. Before commencing appropriate procurement activity, buyers may consider it appropriate to conduct market consultation. Within an innovation context this can be helpful when seeking or accepting advice from independent experts, authorities or from market participants. It can also be important to consult market participants when assessing the development of the market and planning subsequent potential procurement processes. Where 'contract' and 'procurement' is referenced in the Notice, this refers to the Consultation and NOT a contract or procurement. Where the deadline for the expression of interest is referenced in the Notice, this refers to the deadline for the supplier's full response to the PMC.
Musculoskeletal (MSK)
conditions are a leading cause of disability in Scotland; a major contributor to sickness absence and economic inactivity and associated with an estimated 400 to 500 million GBP annual economic cost due to work-related ill health. Delays in access to appropriate information and treatment prolong recovery and increase the risk of long-term disability and reduce return-to-work rates. These delays shift demand to other services (e.g. emergency, unscheduled care and GP services) and drive higher-cost interventions (e.g. secondary care and surgery). These factors have implications for patient outcomes and quality of life, as well as workforce productivity and economic activity, and increase pressures on NHS service capacity and downstream costs, particularly secondary care orthopaedic services, as well as placing further burden on primary and unscheduled care services. Approximately 74,000 people are currently waiting for a first MSK appointment in Scotland. Only 48% are seen within the 4-week national standard (target: 90%). Demand continues to exceed capacity, creating a structurally persistent backlog. Access to MSK digital advice, self-referral and support management is fragmented and inconsistent across Scotland. Some NHS Boards (4-5) have some type of digital MSK offer in place, with other individual NHS Boards exploring a range of different options and scale of digital MSK offer. We are interested to know if the market has existing or developing solutions that can:
- Provide a ‘Once for Scotland’ national musculoskeletal (MSK) digital solution to support demand management, early intervention and pathway optimisation, including a digital ‘front door’ model to enable self-referral, triage, and directed care pathways.