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Children's Community Nursing in Education Settings (CNIES)

NHS Derby & Derbyshire Integrated Care Board

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

16 Sep 2026 at 13:51

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board intends to commission Children’s Community Nursing in Education Settings (CNIES), a community healthcare service for children and young people with complex health needs in education settings. The service will use a three-tier hub-and-spoke model, providing nurse-led support to individual children, clinical oversight and delegated-care support across schools, and flexible responses to changing need. It will cover maintained and non-maintained education settings across Derby City and Derbyshire, including special educational needs and disabilities settings, mainstream schools and relevant post-16 settings. The work includes Individual Healthcare Plans, clinical governance, safeguarding, training and competency assurance, and coordination with councils, NHS services, families and education staff. The procurement is for health services.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the ICB has announced an intention to award a contract under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, using the Most Suitable Provider Process. It is not an invitation to tender. The buyer expects the next notice on 1 January 2027 and requires full service mobilisation by that date. There is one county-wide service scope rather than separate lots. Providers will need to meet all mandatory requirements before comparative assessment. Proposed evaluation weightings are integration and collaboration 20%, quality, safety and clinical governance 20%, workforce, training and deliverability 20%, improving outcomes and experience for children and young people 15%, continuity, mobilisation and sustainability 15%, and value 10%. Award decisions will be made by the ICB’s Joint Commissioning Executive Group.

The service will suit an established children’s community nursing, complex-care or comparable healthcare provider with county-wide capacity and credible mobilisation plans. Strong candidates will employ appropriately registered children’s nurses and other healthcare professionals experienced in education settings, with sufficient skill mix, clinical leadership, recruitment, retention and absence cover. Relevant capability includes SEND and complex-needs expertise, Continuing Care and long-term or life-limiting conditions, safe transitions, and work with schools, councils, families and NHS partners. Providers should be ready to evidence safeguarding leadership, clinical governance, delegation under the NMC Code, competency-based training and auditable reassessment for enteral feeding, epilepsy, respiratory care, medication, tracheostomy care and anaphylaxis. Robust information governance, clinical records, data sharing, incident management, resilience and outcome monitoring will also be important.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Children's Community Nursing in Education Settings (CNIES)

Notice Description

This is a notice to inform the market of the intention to award a contract for a Children's Community Nursing in Education Settings (CNIES) via the Most Suitable Provider Process

Lot Information

Lot 1

The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, Paragraph 10 - The Most Suitable Provider Process is being used to commission this service. This notice will be live for fourteen (14) days from the date of publication. This is a notice to inform the market of the intention to award a contract for a Children's Community Nursing in Education Settings (CNIES) via the Most Suitable Provider process. 1. Purpose This document sets out the mandatory requirements, assessment criteria and evidence expectations proposed for application under the Provider Selection Regime Most Suitable Provider process for the Children's Community Nursing service supporting children and young people with complex health needs in education settings. The criteria reflect: NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB's statutory duties relating to children's health, safeguarding and SEND. Continuity of safe care for children and young people with complex health needs in education settings. Safe clinical governance, delegation, training and competency assurance arrangements. County-wide delivery across relevant Derby City and Derbyshire education settings. The need to minimise mobilisation, clinical, safeguarding and operational risk for a vulnerable cohort. Important: All mandatory requirements must be met in full before comparative assessment against the key criteria. 2. Mandatory Requirements 2.1 Delivery of the Specified Service Model The provider must demonstrate the ability to deliver services through a hub and spoke model, including: Deliver the commissioned three-tier hub-and-spoke model of support described in the service specification. Provide nurse-led support to meet the needs of individual children or young people in identified schools. Provide oversight and support across relevant education settings in Derby City and Derbyshire to enable non-NHS staff to undertake appropriately delegated tasks. Flex support in response to changing levels of need. 2.2 Clinical Workforce Capability The provider must demonstrate that it has the clinical workforce capability to deliver the service as described in the service specification, including: Employing appropriately registered children's nurses and healthcare professionals who have experience of working in education settings. Maintain sufficient workforce capacity and skill mix to deliver the service safely. Recruit, train, supervise and retain specialist staff. Provide appropriate clinical leadership and professional accountability. Evidence an operationally credible workforce model, including mitigation of vacancies and absence. 2.3 Integration with Education Settings and System Partners The provider must have experience of working in education settings and be able to: Demonstrate operational arrangements with SEND schools, mainstream schools and relevant post-16 settings. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with Derby City Council, Derbyshire County Council, community children's nursing teams, Continuing Care services, primary care, secondary care and other specialist services. Participate in multidisciplinary and multi-agency planning for individual children and young people. 2.4 Individual Healthcare Plans and Clinical Oversight The provider must demonstrate the ability to: Assess whether identified healthcare support is within scope of the service model. Work with education settings in Derby and Derbyshire to support the creation and review of Individual Healthcare Plans in collaboration with NHS-assured clinicians and families. Maintain oversight of delegated healthcare interventions delivered in education settings across Derby and Derbyshire. Trigger timely review when a child or young person's needs change. 2.5 Delegation, Training and Competency Assurance The provider must demonstrate the ability to work to local and national delegation, training and competency frameworks, including: Application of the local Delegation of Duties SOP, the NMC Code and relevant national guidance. Deliver or support competency-based training, supervision and reassessment for education staff and clinical support workers. Maintain auditable competency frameworks, including child-specific training where required. Provide training and competency assurance for enteral feeding, epilepsy, respiratory care, safe and accurate medication, tracheostomy care and anaphylaxis awareness. 2.6 Safeguarding, Risk and Incident Management The provider must demonstrate the ability to: Comply with national and local safeguarding policies and statutory guidance. Maintain appropriate safeguarding leadership, supervision and escalation arrangements. Contribute to relevant multi-agency safeguarding processes. Operate robust risk assessment, incident reporting, investigation, learning and significant event analysis processes. 2.7 SEND and Complex Health Needs Expertise The provider must demonstrate the ability to be able to: Apply relevant SEND legislation, statutory guidance and the SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25 years. Demonstrate experience of supporting children and young people with complex needs, disability, Continuing Care needs, long-term conditions and life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Support safe transitions between education settings and, where appropriate, into adult services. 2.8 Geographic Coverage, Continuity and Resilience The provider must be able to demonstrate ability to Deliver across relevant maintained and non-maintained education settings within Derby City and Derbyshire, in accordance with the service scope. Travel between hub and spoke across Derby City and Derbyshire education settings according to need. Maintain business continuity and operational resilience. Manage boundary issues proactively with commissioners and neighbouring providers, prioritising safe care. 2.9 Mobilisation by 1st January 2027 The provider must demonstrate the ability to mobilise the full service safely and operationally by 1st January 2027, including, Workforce readiness Operational delivery that includes the appropriate clinical support in place in education settings Clinical governance arrangements Digital and data flows Additional information: Integration and collaboration 20% Quality, safety and clinical governance 20% Workforce, training and deliverability 20% Improving outcomes and experience for children and young people 15% Continuity, mobilisation and sustainability 15% Value 10% 3. Assessment Criteria and Proposed Weightings 3.1 Integration and Collaboration (20%) Ability to establish and maintain operational relationships with education settings across Derby City and Derbyshire. Integration with community children's nursing teams and Continuing Care. Effective multidisciplinary and multi-agency working. Ability to coordinate with local authorities, health providers, specialist teams and commissioners. Evidence of established delivery arrangements rather than future intent alone. 3.2 Quality, Safety and Clinical Governance (20%) Clinical governance and professional leadership arrangements. Quality assurance, audit and outcome monitoring. Safeguarding governance and supervision. Delegation, training and competency assurance frameworks. Risk, incident management and organisational learning. Safe clinical record keeping and information sharing. 3.3 Workforce, Training and Deliverability (20%) Workforce capacity, capability, skill mix and resilience. Recruitment, retention and vacancy mitigation. Specialist children's nursing expertise and access to clinical leadership. Training infrastructure and competency assessment capacity. Ability to deploy staff across hub and spoke settings in response to need. 3.4 Improving Outcomes and Experience for CYP (15%) Support for safe school attendance, engagement and participation. Promotion of independence and self-management where appropriate. Effective transition planning. Engagement with children, young people, families and education staff. Contribution to prevention of avoidable hospital attendance, admission or readmission. Use of feedback and measurable outcomes to improve the service. 3.5 Continuity, Mobilisation and Sustainability (15%) Ability to maintain continuity of care and existing relationships. Mobilisation readiness and credible implementation planning. Clinical, workforce, data and operational risk mitigation. Business continuity and resilience arrangements. Sustainable delivery throughout the contract period. 3.6 Value (10%) Overall value for money, recognising that value is not limited to lowest cost. Efficient deployment of the clinical workforce. Whole-system benefits, including reduced duplication and avoidable escalation. Evidence that resources will be used to maximise outcomes for children and young people. 4. Evidence Expectations Providers should be asked to submit proportionate, verifiable evidence that is current and relevant to the service. Evidence should demonstrate live arrangements or arrangements deliverable within the required mobilisation period, not solely aspirational statements. Experience of delivering comparable children's community nursing or complex care services. Clinical governance structure, policies and reporting lines. Current workforce establishment, skill mix, professional registrations, vacancy information and workforce plan. Safeguarding governance, supervision and training arrangements. Delegation policy, competency frameworks and examples of reassessment processes. Evidence of SEND and complex-needs expertise. Partnership arrangements with education settings, local authorities and health providers. Information governance compliance, clinical record systems and data-sharing arrangements. Mobilisation, implementation, business continuity and operational resilience plans. Relevant quality, safety, activity, outcome and experience information. High-level cost and value information, including assumptions and efficiencies.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06fb2b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087774-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
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
16 Sep 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Jan 20274 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS Derby & Derbyshire 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
DERBY
Postcode
DE1 2FS
Postcode Area
Derby
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF1 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF11 Derby
Delivery Location
TLF11 Derby, TLF12 East Derbyshire, TLF13 South and West Derbyshire
Local Authority
Derby
Electoral Ward
Darley
Westminster Constituency
Derby South

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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