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Audiology Services - North Staffordshire

NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

28 Sep 2026 at 15:31

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board buys adult audiology services for people in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. The service covers hearing assessments, rehabilitation and ongoing support for adults with hearing or communication difficulties, including hearing aids where clinically appropriate and associated aftercare. This is a healthcare service rather than a supply-only contract: delivery includes clinical assessment and continuing patient support. The procurement is titled Audiology Services – North Staffordshire and concerns the existing adult hearing service for the local population. Audiology and ear, nose and throat services (CPV 85121240) are the relevant work category. The service is intended to continue an established provision, with the buyer indicating that the requirements are not changing considerably from the current arrangements.

The process used the Provider Selection Regime’s Direct Award Process C, without a prior call for competition. Specsavers Optical Superstores Limited was selected, and the contract is recorded as active and signed on 19 August 2026. The contract period runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027. It is described as a zero-value contract, with payments based on activity and locally agreed prices; the estimated value for the one-year period is £2,224,787. The selection assessment gave equal importance to the key criteria: whether the existing provider was meeting the original contract and was likely to meet the proposed contract to a sufficient standard. A basic selection assessment covered suitability, financial and economic standing, and technical and professional ability. The process was governed by the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

For suppliers considering similar adult audiology work, this award indicates that the buyer values continuity of an established service where requirements have not changed considerably. A credible competitor would need to demonstrate reliable hearing assessment, rehabilitation and ongoing support for adults with hearing and communication difficulties, including clinically appropriate hearing aids and aftercare. Evidence of satisfactory delivery against an existing service contract would be directly relevant, alongside the ability to maintain service standards throughout the contract. The buyer also assessed supplier suitability, financial and economic standing, and technical and professional ability, so a future provider would need to show strength across all three areas. This is a population-wide healthcare service with activity-based payments and locally agreed prices, favouring providers able to manage ongoing clinical delivery rather than one-off product supply.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Audiology Services - North Staffordshire

Notice Description

Adult Hearing Services (Audiology) provide assessment, rehabilitation, and ongoing support for adults experiencing hearing and communication difficulties. The service includes hearing assessments, access to hearing aids where clinically appropriate, and associated aftercare and support. This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with Regulation 9 (Direct Award Process C) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The procurement relates to the provision of Adult Audiology Services for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent population.

Lot Information

Lot 1

This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with Regulation 9 (Direct Award Process C) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The procurement relates to the provision of Adult Audiology Services for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent population. NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (SSoT ICB) currently holds a contract with Specsavers Hearcare Limited for the provision of Adult Audiology Services. This service provides assessment, rehabilitation, and ongoing support for adults experiencing hearing and communication difficulties. The service includes hearing assessments, the provision of hearing aids where clinically appropriate, and associated aftercare and support. The SSoT ICB is satisfied that the existing provider will likely satisfy the requirements of the proposed contract and that the requirements for the provision of healthcare services are not changing considerably. As such, the proposed arrangements do not meet the considerable change threshold set out in Regulation 6(10) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The intention is to award a contract to Specsavers Hearcare Limited, the existing provider. The contract period will be one year, commencing on 1 October 2026 and expiring on 30 September 2027. This is a zero-value contract with payments based on activity and locally agreed prices. The estimated contract value for the one-year contract period is PS2,224,787.00.

Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. 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 Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 09/10/2026. 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-077bbe
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091532-2026
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

85121240 - ENT or audiologist services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£2,224,787 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
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 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent 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
STOKE-ON-TRENT
Postcode
ST1 4FA
Postcode Area
Stoke-on-Trent
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG23 Stoke-on-Trent
Delivery Location
TLG23 Stoke-on-Trent, TLG24 Staffordshire CC
Local Authority
Stoke-on-Trent
Electoral Ward
Etruria & Hanley
Westminster Constituency
Stoke-on-Trent Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Specsavers Optical Superstores Limited

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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