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Children and Young People's Specialist Palliative and End of Life Care Service

NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

01 Oct 2026 at 15:37

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board commissioned a specialist palliative and end-of-life care service for babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions across the Thames Valley. The work includes specialist assessment and clinical advice, advanced symptom management, care coordination, end-of-life care planning, bereavement support and help with transition between services. Delivery is intended to be coordinated and family-centred, working with acute, community and primary care services and hospice partners. This is a specialist community health service, combining clinical expertise with care across home and community settings and coordination among local health and care providers.

The provider selection assessment is complete and Helen & Douglas House was identified as the most suitable provider; the contract is recorded as active and signed on 30 September 2026. The award is for a three-year service, with commencement anticipated in October 2026, and is valued at £1,360,677 excluding VAT. The process followed the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, using a most suitable provider assessment rather than an open competition. Providers were assessed against basic selection criteria and weighted key criteria: quality and innovation (30%), integration, collaboration and sustainability (25%), value (20%), improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice (20%), and social value (5%). The standstill period ended at midnight on 14 October 2026.

For suppliers considering comparable specialist children’s palliative care services for this commissioner, this award indicates that credibility rests on established paediatric palliative care capability and an experienced specialist multidisciplinary workforce. The selected provider was judged strongest overall for its 24-hour specialist clinical support, existing reach across the Thames Valley, relationships with health and care partners, and accessible community-based provision. A future competitor would need to evidence safe, high-quality and sustainable care, integrated working across acute, community, primary care and hospice partners, and a family-centred approach spanning symptom management, end-of-life planning, bereavement and transitions. The assessment also placed substantial weight on quality, collaboration and access, alongside value and social value, so providers should be able to demonstrate delivery against each of these dimensions.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Children and Young People's Specialist Palliative and End of Life Care Service

Notice Description

NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board (the Commissioner) has completed a Most Suitable Provider process in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 for the provision of a Children and Young People's Specialist Palliative and End of Life Care Service. The service supports babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across the Thames Valley system and includes specialist palliative care assessment, clinical advice, symptom management, care coordination, end of life care planning, bereavement support and transition support. The service is delivered in collaboration with acute, community, primary care and hospice partners to support coordinated, family-centred care. Following assessment of provider submissions against the Basic Selection Criteria and Key Criteria, the Commissioner has identified Helen & Douglas House as the Most Suitable Provider. The contract duration is 3-years, and the anticipated service commencement date is October 2026. The contract value is PS1,360,677 excluding VAT The Commissioner has published this notice in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 and will observe the mandatory standstill period before entering into the contract. This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner

Lot Information

Lot 1

NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board (the Commissioner) has completed a Most Suitable Provider process in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 for the provision of a Children and Young People's Specialist Palliative and End of Life Care Service. The service supports babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across the Thames Valley system and includes specialist palliative care assessment, specialist clinical advice, advanced symptom management, care coordination, end of life care planning, bereavement support and transition support. The service is delivered in collaboration with acute, community, primary care and hospice partners to support coordinated, family-centred care. Following publication of a Prior Information Notice and completion of the MSP assessment process, the Commissioner assessed providers Basic Selection Criteria and Key Criteria and identified Helen & Douglas House as the Most Suitable Provider. The proposed contract duration is 3 years with an anticipated service commencement date of October 2026. The total contract value is PS1,360,677 excluding VAT. This process has been undertaken by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner. In accordance with Regulation 12 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, the Commissioner will observe a mandatory standstill period before entering into the contract. Standstill period ends at midnight on 14 October 2026.

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 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 decision makers by midnight 14 October 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-077ee8
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/092969-2026
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

85323000 - Community health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£1,360,677 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Oct 20265 days 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 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

Helen and Douglas House

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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