Award

Primary Eye Care Services Post Operative Cataract for WE 26-28

NHS HERTFORDSHIRE AND WEST ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

07 Apr 2026 at 10:13

Award

23 Mar 2026 at 18:17

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process involves the awarding of a contract for "Primary Eye Care Services Post Operative Cataract for WE 26-28," managed by the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board. This service, under the health industry category, aims to provide post-operative cataract care for low-risk patients through community Optometrists, thus bypassing traditional hospital pathways. The process falls under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, specifically through Direct Award Process C. The contract runs from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2027, with a potential one-year extension. The location for this service is Harlow, Essex. The procurement stage is currently at the Award phase, having been confirmed on 23rd March 2026, with the prior intention to award announced earlier and no representations received during the standstill period. The lifetime value of the contract is GBP 139,200.

This contracting opportunity opens avenues for businesses involved in primary healthcare services, particularly those offering specialised eye care. The service's design to use community-based Optometrists for follow-up cataract appointments could be an attractive bid for SMEs interested in expanding healthcare solutions outside hospital environments. The contracting arrangement, which anticipates reducing outpatient follow-ups in acute settings, presents scope for businesses that can provide seamless integration of ophthalmic services, ensuring patient care and satisfaction. Additionally, companies that have previously operated similar community-based healthcare models may find themselves well-positioned to deliver these services effectively, benefitting from the streamlined procurement method without the need for a competitive call for tenders.

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Notice Title

Primary Eye Care Services Post Operative Cataract for WE 26-28

Notice Description

The Post Operative Cataract Service (POCS) is service under the Primary Eyecare Services (PES) contract allowing low-risk patients to be reviewed for the post-op follow-up appointment outside of traditional hospital-based pathways, with community Optometrists. This includes patients who have had routine, uncomplicated cataract surgery. <br/>To confirm as per the PSR Direct Award Process C, the existing provider is satisfying the existing contract, delivering a good service, meeting all KPIs, with no quality concerns and good outcomes and has very good feedback from patients and are likely to satisfy the new contract, and the proposed contracting arrangements are not changing from the existing contract.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Follow-up appointments are provided in the community within 4-6 weeks after surgery, combined with the require sight test, meaning only one appointment for patients rather than two. The POCS is a clinical examination to check for, or treat, any postoperative complications, assess visual outcome and refractive status. If no complications then a patient is discharged from the POCS and the provider is updated on this outcome, by suitably qualified clinicians locally, in a safe, convenient and appropriate environment. Where there are complications safely referred back to the provider. This should also see a reduction in outpatient follow-up appointments in an acute setting freeing up sessions and clinics for addressing the review list and outpatient first attendances.

A POCS Pilot for 12 months period was carried out with Primary Eye Care services from May-22 to Mar-23. A six month extension period was agreed to allow decision on POCS from Mar-23 to Sep-23.
In Aug-23, POCS Evaluation was presented to West Essex Transformation Committee, with finanical modelling. Business case was taken through the triple lock process and it was agreed to commission the POCS service for 18 months from Oct-23 - Apr 25. The POCS was re-evaluated in Aug 24 to review is impact. Recommendation was to continue the service as achieving KPI's.

The contract award and extension of the POCS service from 1st Apr 2026-31st Mar 2028 was agreed at Essex Joint Executive Committee on 06/01/26 & the Central East Central Payer Function Committee on 16.01.26.

Contract is being awarded to the existing provider following Direct Award Process C.

Options: Option to extend by one year

Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to 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. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 2nd April 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-067206
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031339-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85100000 - Health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£139,200 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Apr 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
23 Mar 20262 months ago
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
NHS HERTFORDSHIRE AND WEST ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MARLOWES, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
Postcode
HP1 1DN
Post Town
Hemel Hempstead
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH27 South West Hertfordshire
Delivery Location
TLH35 West Essex

Local Authority
Dacorum
Electoral Ward
Hemel Hempstead Town
Westminster Constituency
Hemel Hempstead

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

PRIMARY EYE CARE SERVICES

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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