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PSR - Direct Award C - Transferring NHS patients to an ISP (outsourcing)

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

21 Oct 2026 at 10:52

Tender Notice
AwardUpdate

14 Oct 2026 at 12:59

Award Notice
Award

24 Sep 2026 at 08:41

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust procured outsourced orthopaedic treatment for NHS patients, transferring patient activity to independent-sector provider Spire Healthcare Limited for care on Spire’s premises. The purpose was to add elective treatment capacity and support the Trust’s waiting-list reduction and elective recovery work. The service covers NHS patient activity rather than the purchase of equipment or construction. Delivery is recorded in Bedfordshire, in the East of England. The requirement was grouped as one lot and awarded to Spire Healthcare Limited. The Trust is based in Luton; the supplier is based in Harpenden. This is a clinical service opportunity for providers able to treat NHS orthopaedic patients in an independent-sector setting and work with an NHS hospital trust.

The procurement is recorded as complete and the contract is active. It was a limited direct award without a prior competition, using the Provider Selection Regime; the notice states the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply. The award was made to Spire Healthcare Limited. The contract value is £850,000. It was signed on 9 October 2026 and runs from 19 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The buyer’s rationale was the urgent need for additional elective capacity to reduce waiting times and support elective recovery by March 2027. The award decision considered quality and innovation, value, integration and collaboration, service sustainability, access, health inequalities, patient choice and social value. In the lot-level criteria, quality accounted for 100% and price for 0%. One bid was recorded.

For providers seeking similar NHS orthopaedic outsourcing work, this award indicates demand for additional elective capacity that can be mobilised quickly to reduce waiting times. A credible supplier would need an established service model and the operational capacity to take on transferred NHS patient activity at its own premises. The buyer’s rationale highlights robust clinical governance and oversight, positive patient outcomes, and established quality assurance, patient safety, performance monitoring and continuous-improvement systems. Providers should also be able to deliver efficient elective pathways and streamlined processes while maintaining care standards and supporting patient access and choice. The decision placed decisive weight on quality rather than price, and also considered innovation, integration, collaboration, sustainability, reducing health inequalities and social value. Experience delivering safe, effective elective care for NHS patients would align with the capability demonstrated in this award.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

PSR - Direct Award C - Transferring NHS patients to an ISP (outsourcing)

Notice Description

BHFT is transferring NHS patients to Spire, an independent sector provider, for treatment on their premises (outsourcing)

Lot Information

Lot 1

Outsourcing of NHS patient activity to an independent sector provider.

Procurement Information

Additional elective capacity is required as a matter of urgency to support Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in reducing waiting times and delivering elective recovery objectives by March 2027. The provider has demonstrated the ability to deliver high-quality elective care with robust clinical governance, effective clinical oversight, and positive patient outcomes. The provider has established systems for quality assurance, patient safety, performance monitoring and continuous improvement, providing assurance that services will continue to be delivered to a high standard throughout the proposed contract term. The provider also offers an established and proven service model that can be mobilised quickly, enabling the additional capacity required to be made available within the necessary timescales. The proposed arrangement supports innovation through efficient elective pathways, streamlined processes and service delivery approaches designed to maximise activity, improve patient access and reduce waiting times whilst maintaining quality standards. Based on current performance and the provider's demonstrated capability, the commissioner is satisfied that the provider will be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard, delivering safe, effective and high-quality care while providing the additional elective capacity required to support waiting list reduction by March 2027.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077919
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099340-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender 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
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85121283 - Orthopaedic services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£850,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
19 Oct 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Luton and Dunstable Hospital
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LUTON
Postcode
LU4 0DZ
Postcode Area
Luton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH21 Luton
Delivery Location
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Local Authority
Luton
Electoral Ward
Poets
Westminster Constituency
Luton North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Spire Healthcare

Further Information

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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