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CT-Guided Biopsy Diagnostic Capacity Support Service

EAST KENT HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

26 Oct 2026 at 16:20

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust procured specialist CT-guided lung biopsy services to support respiratory, lung cancer and diagnostic pathways. The service covers consultant-led biopsy procedures, imaging and sedation where clinically needed, biopsy acquisition, histopathology processing, diagnostic reporting and associated administration. It is a fully outsourced diagnostic package intended to provide additional capacity for Trust patients requiring specialist procedures and to support waiting-list management and diagnostic recovery. Delivery is through London Bridge Hospital in London, for patients of the Trust in East Kent. The arrangement provides access to specialist facilities and consultant radiologists, with pathology and related support services available under the provider’s clinical governance arrangements.

The process has reached contract award: HCA International Ltd was selected as the most suitable provider and the contract is active and signed. This was a limited award without a prior call for competition, conducted under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The Trust assessed the provider against statutory criteria, giving high importance to quality and innovation, value, access and choice, and integration and service sustainability; social value had medium importance. The stated assessment gave quality 100 and price 0. The contract value is £250,000 excluding VAT, and the initial service period runs from award to 31 March 2027. The immediate requirement is for approximately 15 patients, with scope to use additional capacity during the term subject to requirements, funding, performance and agreement. Providers could make representations by 10 November 2026.

This award shows demand from East Kent Hospitals for externally provided CT-guided lung biopsy capacity, with potential for further referrals beyond the initial patient cohort. A credible supplier for a future requirement would need specialist CT-guided biopsy expertise, consultant-led clinical delivery, suitable imaging facilities and access to histopathology and diagnostic reporting. The selected provider demonstrated capacity to mobilise rapidly and deliver a complete outsourced service, including sedation and intraoperative imaging support where needed. Clinical quality, patient outcomes, service continuity, pathway access and operational resilience were central considerations, alongside value and collaboration with the Trust. Providers may need to support subcontracted pathology or specialist services within an appropriate clinical governance framework. The requirement suits healthcare providers able to coordinate specialist clinical and diagnostic capability for respiratory and lung cancer pathways, rather than suppliers offering imaging equipment alone.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

CT-Guided Biopsy Diagnostic Capacity Support Service

Notice Description

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust intends to award a contract for the provision of additional CT-guided biopsy capacity to support timely diagnosis and treatment pathways. The service includes CT-guided biopsy procedures, consultant-led intervention, histopathology support and associated diagnostic services. The Trust has undertaken the Most Suitable Provider Process under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 and has identified the provider as the most suitable provider having regard to the key criteria. This notice serves as an intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process.

Lot Information

Lot 1

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust intends to award a contract under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 using the Most Suitable Provider Process. The contract is for the provision of specialist CT-guided biopsy capacity to support respiratory, lung cancer and diagnostic pathways. Services include consultant-led CT-guided biopsy procedures, imaging support, sedation where clinically indicated, biopsy acquisition, histopathology processing and associated administration arrangements. The service will be delivered by HCA International Ltd. through London Bridge Hospital. This is a new diagnostic capacity arrangement intended to support patients requiring specialist CT-guided biopsy procedures where additional capacity is required. The provider has offered a fully outsourced walk-in, walk-out package inclusive of consultant radiologist fees, sedation, intraoperative imaging support and histopathology services. The immediate requirement relates to an initial cohort of approximately 15 patients requiring CT-guided biopsy procedures. The Trust may require additional activity during the contract period to support respiratory and lung cancer diagnostic pathways, waiting list management and diagnostic recovery requirements. The contract has therefore been structured to provide access to additional capacity should further referrals be required during the contract term. The approximate lifetime value of the contract is PS250,000 excluding VAT. The initial service period is anticipated to run from contract award until 31 March 2027. This notice constitutes an intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process. Additional information: The Trust identified HCA International Ltd as the most suitable provider. The service will be delivered through London Bridge Hospital, providing access to specialist CT-guided biopsy expertise and additional diagnostic capacity. The provider demonstrated the ability to provide consultant-led CT-guided biopsy procedures, associated pathology services and access to specialist facilities capable of supporting the Trust's respiratory and lung cancer diagnostic pathways. The Trust considered clinical capability, patient outcomes, quality, operational capacity, service continuity and value in reaching its decision. The provider demonstrated the ability to mobilise rapidly and support diagnostic pathway resilience where additional CT-guided biopsy capacity is required. Whilst the immediate requirement relates to approximately 15 patients, the Trust anticipates that further activity may be required during the contract period and has therefore included flexibility within the proposed arrangement to support future pathway demand. Having regard to the statutory key criteria, HCA International Ltd. was assessed as the most suitable provider capable of delivering the required specialist service within the required timescales.

Options: The contracting authority reserves the option to continue the arrangement and utilise additional capacity during the contract term, subject to service requirements, funding availability, performance and mutual agreement between the parties.

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 Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has undertaken a Most Suitable Provider Process in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 for the provision of specialist CT-guided biopsy services. The Trust has identified HCA International Ltd as the most suitable provider having regard to the statutory key criteria, including quality and innovation, value, integration and collaboration, improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating patient choice, and social value. The service is required to support respiratory and lung cancer pathways through the provision of specialist CT-guided biopsy capacity. The Trust determined that the immediate requirement was for CT-guided biopsy services and did not proceed with the previously considered Ion Navigation Bronchoscopy pathway. HCA International Ltd demonstrated specialist clinical capability, consultant-led CT-guided biopsy services, imaging infrastructure, pathology support, available capacity and the ability to mobilise within the required timescales. The provider was assessed as capable of supporting timely diagnosis and improving pathway resilience for East Kent patients. The immediate requirement relates to approximately 15 patients; however, the Trust anticipates that additional activity may be required during the contract period. The proposed arrangement therefore provides access to additional specialist capacity should future demand arise. The Trust concluded that HCA International Ltd represents the most suitable provider to deliver the required service and intends to award the contract following completion of the applicable Provider Selection Regime standstill period. The standstill period begins on the day after publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the decision makers by 10 November 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the Provider Selection Regime.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-079089
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101211-2026
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

85110000 - Hospital and related services

85150000 - Medical imaging services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£250,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 Oct 2026Yesterday
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
EAST KENT HOSPITALS UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CANTERBURY
Postcode
CT1 3NG
Postcode Area
Canterbury
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ44 East Kent
Delivery Location
TLI London
Local Authority
Canterbury
Electoral Ward
Barton
Westminster Constituency
Canterbury

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Hca International Limited

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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