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Prescription Exemption Checking Service (PECS) 2026/2027

NHS England

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

29 Sep 2026 at 11:34

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
AwardUpdate

08 Jul 2026 at 10:19

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
AwardUpdate

21 Apr 2026 at 15:36

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

21 Apr 2026 at 15:35

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

21 Apr 2026 at 15:27

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

21 Apr 2026 at 14:31

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS England commissioned the Prescription Exemption Checking Service to investigate a random sample of prescription claims where patients have claimed exemption from payment. The work checks whether each declared exemption is accurate by comparing patient details on prescription claims with records of valid exemption schemes administered by the provider and with Department for Work and Pensions records. This is a health-related claims verification and audit service, rather than the supply of medicines or the delivery of clinical care. The procurement was managed by NHS England, with the NHS Business Services Authority selected to provide the service. The procurement covers one lot. The service concerns prescription claims and exemption records; no specific delivery site or geographic service area is identified in the available scope description.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to NHS Business Services Authority. The route was a direct award, justified on the basis that competition was absent for technical reasons under paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023. The published award entry records a value of £7,511,140, while the signed contract records £15,138,244; these are distinct figures and should not be treated as a combined amount. The contract was signed on 21 April 2026 and runs from 21 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The procurement was divided into one lot. The award and contract records identify the same provider; no separate evaluation scoring or weighting is stated in the procurement details.

For suppliers considering comparable work for NHS England, the awarded requirement demonstrates demand for prescription-exemption verification using patient and claims data alongside records of exemption schemes and Department for Work and Pensions information. A credible competitor would need to investigate prescription claims reliably, match patient details across relevant records, and determine whether claimed exemptions are valid. The chosen route was a direct award on technical grounds, and the NHS Business Services Authority was selected; this indicates that relevant technical capability and access to, or ability to work with, the required records are central to competing for this requirement. Suppliers would also need the operational capacity to process a random sample of claims and deliver consistent audit checks across the service. The work is specialised health-related claims verification, not general healthcare provision.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Prescription Exemption Checking Service (PECS) 2026/2027

Notice Description

Prescription Exemption Checking Service (DECS) 2026/2027 The Provider will investigate a random sample of prescription claims from patients who have claimed exemption from payment to verify the accuracy of the exemption declared. Claims are verified by cross checking the patient details on the prescription claim against the Provider records of valid exemption schemes which the Provider administer in addition to DWP records.

Procurement Information

Paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 - absence of competition for technical reasons

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-068788
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091765-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

79212400 - Fraud audit services

85100000 - Health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£7,511,140 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£15,138,244 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Sep 20264 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
31 Mar 20267 months ago
Contract Period
21 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS England
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 8UG
Postcode Area
South East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI45 Lambeth
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Lambeth
Electoral Ward
Waterloo & South Bank
Westminster Constituency
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

NHS Business Services Authority

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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