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English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Linguistic Communication Support

NHS England

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

31 Jul 2026 at 09:41

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Tender

22 Apr 2026 at 15:26

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS England is procuring one-to-one English language, linguistic and communication support for resident doctors referred through the Midlands Professional Support and Wellbeing service. The service is for trainees whose first language is not English, helping them improve spoken English, fluency, clarity and confidence, alongside patient-centred communication, interpersonal effectiveness, cultural awareness and workplace integration. It also addresses linguistic or cultural barriers affecting examinations, clinical interactions or performance. The provider must carry out structured assessments, create personalised learning plans and provide measurable progress updates. This is an education and training service, classified under CPV 80000000, delivered for NHS England in the Midlands and East Midlands area. The buyer is NHS England, a central government public authority. The requirement is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

The procurement is complete and was run as a below-threshold open competition. One lot was evaluated on technical quality at 60%, commercial considerations at 30% and social value at 10%. ESOL4Life was awarded the contract, which is active. The contract was signed on 20 July 2026 and runs from 27 July 2026 to 27 July 2028. It is valued at £90,000 excluding VAT (£108,000 including VAT), with one possible 12-month extension, giving a maximum end date of 13 July 2029. The original lot estimate was £60,000 excluding VAT (£72,000 including VAT), with a planned period from 29 May 2026 to 28 May 2027 and up to two further 12-month extensions. Enquiries closed on 29 April 2026 and tender submissions closed on 15 May 2026.

This award demonstrates a defined NHS requirement for specialist one-to-one English language and clinical communication support for resident doctors, rather than general language tuition. A credible competitor for similar work would need tutors able to assess individual language needs, deliver personalised learning and support measurable improvement in fluency, clarity and confidence. Experience of patient-centred communication, clinical workplaces, examinations, professional integration and culturally sensitive support would be directly relevant. Providers should be able to identify and address linguistic barriers affecting clinical interactions, while producing progress evidence for the referring service. The evaluation also shows that technical delivery capability carries the greatest weight, followed by commercial value and social value. The award to an SME indicates that this requirement can be delivered by a focused specialist provider with sufficient capacity for NHS referrals and reporting.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Linguistic Communication Support

Notice Description

This project will provide 1:1 English language, linguistic, and communication skills support for Resident Doctors referred through the Midlands Professional Support and Wellbeing (PSW) service. The support is designed for trainees whose first language is not English and aims to strengthen clinical communication, interpersonal effectiveness, confidence, and cultural and linguistic awareness. The appointed provider(s) will be expected to: *Enhance residents' spoken English, including fluency, clarity, and confidence. * Support residents to develop socially appropriate, patient-centred communication skills relevant to clinical practice. * Address specific linguistic or cultural barriers that may be affecting exam performance, workplace integration, or clinical interactions. * Deliver structured assessments, personalised learning plans, and measurable progress updates to evidence improvement.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Up to two further 12 month extensions (1 + 1), subject to satisfactory performance and ongoing business need

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0688cf
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072499-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£90,000 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
15 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
20 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
27 Jul 2026 - 27 Jul 2028 2-3 years
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

ESOL4Life

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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