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SECURE TRANSPORT SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

23 Jun 2026 at 10:11

Tender Notice
Planning

10 Sep 2025 at 10:42

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The recent procurement process for 'Secure Transport Services for Mental Health Patients' is conducted by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board under the Provider Selection Regime Wales regulations. This tender, focused on the provision of ambulance services, involves the safe and timely transport of mental health patients within Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. The procurement is currently at the tender stage, with bids required by 27th July 2026, and the contract is expected to commence in January 2027. The procurement follows an open procedure and the contract term is initially three years, with the possibility of a two-year extension. All submissions must be made electronically through the eTenderwales platform, and the contract includes clauses aimed at delivering significant community benefits.

This tender represents a substantial opportunity for businesses in the health and transportation industries, particularly those specialising in secure and specialised patient transport. Companies adept at providing 24/7 services with a focus on patient safety and well-being are likely to be well-suited to compete. The contract encourages involvement from consortia, including SMEs, ensuring that various business sizes can participate. By integrating community benefits, such contracts can promote local employment and sustainability, therefore supporting business growth and contributing positively to the socio-economic landscape. Businesses with expertise in operating within regulatory health frameworks and those equipped with appropriate vehicles and trained staff will likely find this a compelling business prospect.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

SECURE TRANSPORT SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS

Notice Description

The provision of secure transport services for mental health patients across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, supporting safe, timely, and compassionate transfers between healthcare and community settings, including urgent and high-risk journeys on a 24/7 basis. The contract is expected to commence in January 2027 for an initial term of three years, with the option to extend for a further two years

Lot Information

Lot 1

The contract is for the provision of secure transport services for mental health patients across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. The service will support the safe, timely, and compassionate transfer of patients between a range of settings, including acute hospital sites, community locations, inpatient mental health units, and other clinically appropriate destinations across the UK. This will include hospital-to-hospital transfers, community-to-hospital admissions, discharge-related transport, and other clinically required journeys. The provider will be required to deliver a flexible, responsive, and multi-purpose transport service capable of meeting a wide range of patient needs, including routine, urgent, and high-risk transfers. This includes the safe conveyance of patients detained under the Mental Health Act, as well as those requiring enhanced supervision, secure transport arrangements, or specialist handling. All services must be delivered in a manner that prioritises patient safety, dignity, and wellbeing, with staff trained in trauma-informed care, de-escalation techniques, and the safe and proportionate use of restraint where clinically necessary. The service must operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year, supporting both pre-planned and emergency requests. Providers will be expected to meet defined response times, including urgent responses within one hour and standard responses within two hours. The provider must maintain an appropriately resourced and roadworthy fleet, including vehicles capable of meeting enhanced safety requirements (such as secure pods or cells where required), and ensure availability of suitable staffing levels determined through risk assessment for each journey. The provider will also be required to ensure full compliance with all relevant statutory, regulatory, and clinical standards, including the Mental Health Act, safeguarding requirements, NHS Wales standards, and applicable guidance from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. Robust arrangements for quality assurance, incident reporting, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement will be expected, alongside effective communication and coordination with Health Board services. The contract is expected to commence in January 2027 for an initial term of three years, with the option to extend for a further period of up to two years, subject to satisfactory performance and agreement by the Health Board.

Renewal: The contract will be awarded for an initial term of 36 months, with the option to extend for a further period of up to 24 months, subject to satisfactory performance and at the discretion of the Health Board.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-059754
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058799-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85143000 - Ambulance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£2,500,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Jun 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
27 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
3 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Additional Buyers

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CARDIFF
Postcode
CF14 4HH
Postcode Area
Cardiff
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL52 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Delivery Location
TLL22 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Local Authority
Cardiff
Electoral Ward
Heath
Westminster Constituency
Cardiff North

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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