National Framework Agreement for the Provision of Autism and ADHD Assessment Services

COUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

04 Aug 2026 at 17:29

TenderUpdate

05 Mar 2026 at 11:07

TenderUpdate

03 Mar 2026 at 16:39

Tender

02 Mar 2026 at 10:07

Summary of the contracting process

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust established a national framework for autism and ADHD assessment and diagnosis services across the UK. The service covers adult and paediatric patients, including autism assessments, ADHD assessments and combined autism and ADHD assessments. For patients on an ADHD or combined pathway, the service may also include prescribing, medication titration and medication reviews. The procurement is for health and social work services, including medical specialist, psychiatrist, psychologist, paediatric and other medical personnel services. It provides NHS organisations and other eligible public authorities with a route to outsource assessment capacity and address lengthy waiting lists. The framework is intended for call-off contracts placed by relevant authorities, including NHS bodies, integrated care boards, local authorities and Welsh health organisations.

The procurement has been awarded and the framework contracts were signed on 4 August 2026. It was run as an open procedure under the Provider Selection Regime, using a competitive process, and is now complete. The framework commenced on 2 June 2025 and runs for four years, with annual reopening to new applicants approximately 90 days before each anniversary. Its lifetime value is £15,000,000 excluding VAT. Sixty-one suppliers were awarded places, including 25Eight Medical Group, ADHD Certify, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Psychiatry Group, Psych-UK, Re:Cognition Health and Your Medical Services. The process received 71 bids. Evaluation weighted quality and innovation at 30%, integration, collaboration and sustainability at 30%, access and health inequalities at 20%, social value at 10% and price at 10%.

This opportunity demonstrates sustained NHS demand for outsourced neurodevelopmental assessment capacity at national scale, with a broad supplier field that includes specialist clinics, psychology and psychiatry practices, medical staffing businesses, digital providers and an NHS foundation trust. Relevant competitors need to deliver autism and ADHD assessment and diagnosis for both adults and children, either as individual pathways or combined services. Capability to provide prescribing, medication titration and review would support ADHD and combined pathways. The evaluation shows that clinical quality and innovation, joined-up working, sustainable delivery, improved access, reduced health inequalities and patient choice matter substantially more than price alone. The awarded supplier mix also indicates that smaller specialist providers can compete alongside larger healthcare organisations, provided they can support public-sector call-offs and deliver consistent clinical capacity across the UK.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

National Framework Agreement for the Provision of Autism and ADHD Assessment Services

Notice Description

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust wishes to establish a Framework Agreement under The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 and The Health Services (Provider Selection Regime) (Wales) Regulations 2025 "Relevant Authority" is defined in section 12ZB(7) of the National Health Service Act 2006 and in section 10A(9) of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006. It means a combined authority, an integrated care board, a local authority in England, NHS England, an NHS foundation trust or an NHS trust established under section 25 of the National Health Service Act 2006, a county council or county borough council in Wales, a local health board established under section 11 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, a National Health Service trust established under section 18 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, or a special health authority established under section 22 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006. For the avoidance of doubt, any successor bodies of any of the above entities shall be entitled to place Orders and shall be deemed Relevant Authorities for the purposes of this Framework. Demand for autism and ADHD assessment and diagnosis services has increased significantly in recent years, with waiting lists in some areas now years long. In order to address this backlog, many NHS organisations are outsourcing portions of this service to increase capacity, either on a short- or long-term basis. This Framework Agreement will provide a quick and compliant route to contract for these services. The overall aim of the Framework Agreement is to provide an assessment and diagnosis service for autism, ADHD and/or combined autism and ADHD for both adult and paediatric patients. For patients on the ADHD or combined pathway this may also include medication prescribing, titration and review. This notice concerns the opening of the Framework opportunity for applications from new potential Providers. Previously appointed Providers are NOT obliged to re-apply. The term of the framework agreement will be 3 years.

Lot Information

Lot 1

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) confirmation of establishment of a framework agreement. This framework agreement has been concluded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. This framework agreement has now been formally concluded using the competitive process. Commencement date of the framework agreement: 2nd June 2025. Duration of the framework Agreement: This framework will run for a term of 4 years. Lifetime Value of framework agreement: PS15,000,000 (excluding VAT)

Options: The Term of this Framework Agreement shall be four (4) years from the Commencement Date. Call-off Contracts may exceed this period provided that Contracts are awarded within the Framework Agreement Term. The Framework will be re-opened to new applicants annually, approximately 90 days before the anniversary of the Framework Commencement Date. Previously appointed Suppliers will NOT be obliged to re-apply on an annual basis, UNLESS they wish to bid for additional services to which they were not previously awarded

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-065f16
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073900-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

85121200 - Medical specialist services

85121270 - Psychiatrist or psychologist services

85121291 - Paediatric services

85141000 - Services provided by medical personnel

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£15,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£15,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£15,000,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
1 Apr 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
COUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION 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
CHESTER
Postcode
CH2 1UL
Postcode Area
Chester
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD6 Cheshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD63 Cheshire West and Chester
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Cheshire West and Chester
Electoral Ward
Upton
Westminster Constituency
Chester North and Neston

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
61
Supplier Names

25Eight Medical Group Ltd

ADHD Certify Ltd

Pharma Aesthetics Ltd

Healstead Ltd

Amethyst Assessment Centre Ltd

Arkadia Clinical Solutions Ltd

Arlson Psychological Services Limited

Athona Limited

ENS Recruitment Limited

bMindful Psychology Ltd

Bradford Care Alliance

Britmed Healthcare Ltd

Ciconia Recovery Ltd

Clement Mind Ltd

CogniScience Clinics Ltd

Cognyfi Ltd

COYLE PERSONNEL LIMITED

Dragon Occupational Therapy Ltd

Elective Services Ltd

Evolve Psychology Services Ltd

Frontline Health Professionals Ltd

Harley Psychiatrists Ltd

CRYSTAL PATHWAYS LTD

Health Now Limited

HG MIND WORKS LTD

ICS Operations Limited

Kirsop-Taylor Healthcare Ltd

Masters Advanced Clinical Care Ltd

Medacs Healthcare PLC

Medefer Limited

Medicare Insourcing Services Limited

Medics UK Ltd

Mental Health and Wellbeing Services Ltd

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

MINDDOCTOR LIMITED

Mindfulness Health Consulting Ltd

Minds Matter Clinic Ltd

NAFS Health Consultancy and Training Ltd

Neurodiversity Assessment Ltd

AT Medics Ltd

OUTCOMES FIRST 4 LIMITED

Oxford Psychiatry Group Ltd

Pertemps Medical Limited

Psychcare Online Services Ltd

Psych-UK Ltd

RDA Autism & ADHD Practice Ltd

Re:Cognition Health Limited

Stepping Stones Clinic Ltd

Sunrise Sanctuary Healthcare Ltd

Teledoctor Ltd

The Aspen Clinic Ltd

The Autism Centre Ltd

The Blue Tree Clinic Ltd

The Centre for ADHD Research and Excellence

Family Wellness Practice Ltd

The Endoscopy Group

The Therapy Company (UK) Ltd

The Warren Neurodiversity Service, subsidiary of Legendary Services Limited

Wren Psychology Ltd

The Neurodiversity Hub Ltd

Your Medical Services Limited

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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