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Medicine Optimisation for Public Health Services

South Tyneside Borough Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

12 Aug 2026 at 11:52

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

South Tyneside Borough Council is exploring a regional medicine optimisation service with Newcastle City Council, Gateshead Council, North Tyneside Council, Northumberland County Council and Darlington Borough Council. The service is a public health and health services contract covering five core areas: leadership for Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments; strategic development of community pharmacy; specialist support for commissioners; engagement with community pharmacies; and public health intelligence and insight. The arrangement is intended to support the participating councils in planning and commissioning effective medicine-related public health services. South Tyneside Council is the lead buyer. The work will involve collaboration across the participating council areas and engagement with community pharmacy networks and public health stakeholders.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the councils are testing the market before deciding how to proceed, and no invitation to tender has been issued. They expect the service to run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032, subject to the eventual procurement process. A soft market testing questionnaire is intended to assess supplier interest and suitability; responses are expected by 4 September 2026. The planned arrangement is a light-touch public services procurement, covering one service lot. The lot is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The service is classified as health services and will be developed around the five core functions described by the councils.

This will suit organisations with practical experience in medicines optimisation, public health commissioning and community pharmacy systems. Relevant capability is likely to include leading or delivering Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments, developing strategic relationships with community pharmacies, advising commissioners, and providing robust public health intelligence and insight. Suppliers should be able to engage effectively with councils, pharmacies and wider health stakeholders across several local authority areas, and to turn analysis into service planning and commissioning advice. The requirement may suit specialist consultancies, public health service providers, pharmacy-sector organisations, or partnerships combining these skills. Small and medium-sized enterprises are expressly considered suitable, so a capable specialist may be well placed to prepare for the future competition, including by contributing informed responses to the market-testing exercise.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Medicine Optimisation for Public Health Services

Notice Description

South Tyneside Council is working with Newcastle City Council, Gateshead Council, North Tyneside Council, Northumberland Council and Darlington Borough Council to explore options for the delivery of a medicine optimisation for public health service. The core functions will be: 1. Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) Leadership. 2. Strategic Community Pharmacy Development. 3. Provide specialist support to commissioners. 4. Community Pharmacy Engagement 5. Public Health Intelligence and Insight.

Planning Information

South Tyneside Council and its partners are inviting suppliers to partake in a soft market testing exercise to ascertain market interest and suitability in delivering this service. The soft market testing questionnaire can be downloaded from the Open E-Procurement System free of charge https://open-uk.org/opportunities/overview/public/8f4f7c3e-5f9d-45dd-ad59-e6e95f7a6b5d, Project #OPEN20261740

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e26b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076670-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
4 Sep 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
South Tyneside Borough Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTH SHIELDS
Postcode
NE33 2RL
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
TLC22 Tyneside
Local Authority
South Tyneside
Electoral Ward
Beacon and Bents
Westminster Constituency
South Shields

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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