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Community Ophthalmology

NHS THAMES VALLEY INTEGRATED CARE BOARD

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

25 Aug 2026 at 13:48

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board commissioned a community ophthalmology service for patients aged over 16. The service diagnoses and, where appropriate, treats specific ophthalmic conditions that do not require hospital or other secondary-care treatment; it excludes services forming part of the core GMS Primary Care Contract. Delivery is in an outpatient setting, with referrals from GPs and optometrists passing through a triage service before reaching the provider. Follow-up appointments are offered only where needed, typically with no more than one follow-up for each initial visit. The procurement is for ophthalmology services (CPV 85121281) supporting access to community-based care across the Thames Valley area.

The procurement has reached its award and contract stage. NHS Thames Valley ICB used Provider Selection Regime Direct Award C, without a prior call for competition, and selected SOPS Healthcare Ltd. The signed contract is active and was signed on 12 August 2026. Its initial 12-month term is expected to be worth £105,483, with an optional further 12-month extension expected to be worth £105,483; the published contract value is £210,996. The contract period commences on 1 October 2026. Evaluation gave 80% to the existing provider’s ability to meet the required standard and 20% to price. The provider had delivered the existing arrangements satisfactorily, including required reporting, safeguarding, invoicing, information governance and quality requirements.

This outcome indicates demand for outpatient ophthalmology that can diagnose and treat conditions below the hospital-care threshold for adults referred by GPs and optometrists. A credible future supplier would need qualified ophthalmology capability, outpatient capacity and the ability to assess and treat patients promptly after triaged referral. It would also need systems for follow-up care, clinical quality reporting, safeguarding, information governance, accurate invoicing and compliance with NHS contractual requirements. The selected provider’s evidence of satisfactory delivery included supplying required documentation and policies, following the service specification, applying local prices, meeting reporting obligations and complying with service, cooperation, information and payment conditions. Suppliers able to demonstrate comparable community ophthalmology performance and reliable operational controls would be well placed when this requirement returns.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Community Ophthalmology

Notice Description

NHS Thames Valley ICB ("the Commissioner") is commissioning a Community Ophthalmology service, diagnosing and, where appropriate, treating specific ophthalmic conditions. It is intended to address conditions which do not require treatment in secondary care but does not include delivery of services which form part of the core GMS Primary Care Contract. The service provision is for patients aged over 16, delivered in an outpatient setting; with expectation of appointments being made available within a maximum of 3 weeks from point of referral. Referrals are taken via a triage service (currently provided by Evolutio) from GPs and optometrists. Referrals are passed by Evolutio to SOPS Healthcare Ltd. The service is aimed at conditions which do not require hospital services. Follow-ups are provided only where required, and there is typically a maximum of 1 follow-up for every first appointment/visit. Thames Valley ICB has followed PSR Direct Award C for the contract to which this notice relates.

Lot Information

Lot 1

NHS Thames Valley ICB ("the Commissioner") is commissioning a Community Ophthalmology service, diagnosing and, where appropriate, treating specific ophthalmic conditions. It is intended to address conditions which do not require treatment in secondary care but does not include delivery of services which form part of the core GMS Primary Care Contract. The service provision is for patients aged over 16, delivered in an outpatient setting; with expectation of appointments being made available within a maximum of 3 weeks from point of referral. Referrals are taken via a triage service (currently provided by Evolutio) from GPs and optometrists. Referrals are passed by Evolutio to SOPS Healthcare Ltd. The service is aimed at conditions which do not require hospital services. Follow-ups are provided only where required, and there is typically a maximum of 1 follow-up for every first appointment/visit. Thames Valley ICB has followed PSR Direct Award C for the contract to which this notice relates. The total expected value of the contract for the initial 12-month contract term is PS105,483 The optional 12-month extension expected value of the contract is PS105,483. Therefore, the full expected lifetime contract value is PS210,966 The contract period will commence on 01 October 2026. This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners. Additional information: Evidence that SOPS Healthcare Ltd have satisfied the existing contract to a sufficient standard according to the detail outlined in the contract: they provided all of the required documentation, information and policies for the existing contract. They have followed the contractual service specification, not deviated from Thames Valley ICB Safeguarding requirements, charged the correct local prices as per the contract, issued invoices correctly in accordance with the Thames Valley ICB process, complied with Quality reporting requirements, and followed Schedule 6A reporting requirements. They have complied with/not fallen foul of the applicable NHS Standard Contract (Shorter Form) Service Conditions, including Service Conditions in relation to the following: service standards, co-operation, information requirements, safeguarding, payment terms and quality requirements. They have also complied with/not fallen foul of the applicable shorter Form General Conditions, including those relating to liability & indemnity, assignment & sub-contracting, and Information Governance. The proposed contracting arrangements are substantially consistent with the existing arrangements, which the provider has delivered to a satisfactory standard. Accordingly, the Commissioner is satisfied that the provider is likely to continue delivering the services to the required standard under the proposed contract.

Options: Option to extend for a further 12-months

Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice under Direct Award C. 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 and The Procurement Act 2023 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 midnight 07 September 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06eb99
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080862-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award 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
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85121281 - Ophthalmologist services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£210,996 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Aug 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
12 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS THAMES VALLEY 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
OXFORD
Postcode
OX4 2PG
Postcode Area
Oxford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Local Authority
Oxford
Electoral Ward
Blackbird Leys
Westminster Constituency
Oxford East

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SOPS Healthcare Ltd

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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