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Clinical Communication Training

University Of Edinburgh

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

29 Sep 2026 at 01:00

PCS Notice - Website Prior Information Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of Edinburgh intends to procure actor trainers for clinical communication teaching and assessment at Edinburgh Medical School. Trainers will act as patients in simulated scenarios for Year 5 and Year 6 medical students and give feedback that reflects real patient interactions. Teaching covers sensitive conversations, including breaking bad news, and complex GP-style consultations addressing physical and psychosocial concerns, barriers to healthcare, subtle cues and safeguarding. The work also includes supporting Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), from pre-assessment calibration through assessment days. For the 2026/27 academic year, the planned requirement includes teaching sessions and catch-ups, OSCE assessment days and calibration, with potential extra sessions or actors for resits. Delivery is at the University of Edinburgh Medical School in Edinburgh.

This is at the planning stage: the University has stated its intention to procure, but has not issued an invitation to tender. The procurement is planned as a single-lot services contract, with an estimated value of £250,000. The University expects to publish a further notice on 16 October 2026; this is an indicative publication date, not a bid deadline. Requirements are anticipated for the 2026/27 academic year. The planned teaching comprises around 35 Year 5 half-day sessions with four actors each, one Year 5 catch-up with four actors, four Year 6 half-day sessions with nine actors each, and one Year 6 catch-up with around two actors. Assessment plans include three full-day Year 5 OSCEs with six actors each and three Year 6 OSCEs with five actors each, plus calibration sessions.

This will suit suppliers able to field a reliable pool of skilled actor trainers in sufficient numbers to cover concurrent or scheduled teaching and assessment sessions, with additional capacity if resits require extra actors or sessions. Relevant experience includes simulated-patient work in medical education, portraying varied patient presentations consistently, and delivering constructive feedback to learners. Trainers must be able to support both challenging, sensitive conversations and complex GP-style consultations, including scenarios involving physical and psychosocial concerns, access barriers, subtle cues and safeguarding. Providers with the operational capacity to take part in pre-assessment calibration and full-day OSCE assessment work are also well placed to prepare for the planned procurement. The buyer’s stated focus is dependable, appropriately skilled actors who can provide realistic practice for medical students.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Clinical Communication Training

Notice Description

The University of Edinburgh is seeking to identify suitably experienced suppliers to provide actor trainers for clinical communication teaching and assessment within Edinburgh Medical School. Actor trainers will support Year 5 and Year 6 medical students through simulated clinical communication scenarios, acting as patients and providing feedback to students to replicate real-life patient interactions. Year 5 teaching focuses on challenging and sensitive conversations, including breaking bad news and managing a range of patient responses. Year 6 teaching focuses on complex GP-style consultations, including exploring physical and psychosocial concerns, recognising barriers to accessing healthcare, identifying subtle cues, and considering safeguarding issues. Actor trainers will also be required to support Year 5 and Year 6 Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), including participation in pre-assessment calibration sessions and assessment days. For the 2026/27 academic year, the anticipated teaching requirement comprises approximately 35 Year 5 sessions requiring four actors per half-day session, one Year 5 catch-up session requiring four actors, four Year 6 sessions requiring nine actors per half-day session, and one Year 6 catch-up session requiring approximately two actors. Assessment requirements are anticipated to comprise three full-day Year 5 OSCE sessions requiring six actors, and three full-day Year 6 OSCE sessions requiring five actors, together with calibration sessions. Additional actors and/or sessions may be required for resits. The University is seeking suppliers with the capability to provide sufficient numbers of appropriately skilled and reliable actor trainers to meet these requirements, including the ability to portray varied patient presentations consistently and provide appropriate, constructive feedback to medical students.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The University of Edinburgh is seeking to identify suitably experienced suppliers to provide actor trainers for clinical communication teaching and assessment within Edinburgh Medical School. Actor trainers will support Year 5 and Year 6 medical students through simulated clinical communication scenarios, acting as patients and providing feedback to students to replicate real-life patient interactions. Year 5 teaching focuses on challenging and sensitive conversations, including breaking bad news and managing a range of patient responses. Year 6 teaching focuses on complex GP-style consultations, including exploring physical and psychosocial concerns, recognising barriers to accessing healthcare, identifying subtle cues, and considering safeguarding issues. Actor trainers will also be required to support Year 5 and Year 6 Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), including participation in pre-assessment calibration sessions and assessment days. For the 2026/27 academic year, the anticipated teaching requirement comprises approximately 35 Year 5 sessions requiring four actors per half-day session, one Year 5 catch-up session requiring four actors, four Year 6 sessions requiring nine actors per half-day session, and one Year 6 catch-up session requiring approximately two actors. Assessment requirements are anticipated to comprise three full-day Year 5 OSCE sessions requiring six actors, and three full-day Year 6 OSCE sessions requiring five actors, together with calibration sessions. Additional actors and/or sessions may be required for resits. The University is seeking suppliers with the capability to provide sufficient numbers of appropriately skilled and reliable actor trainers to meet these requirements, including the ability to portray varied patient presentations consistently and provide appropriate, constructive feedback to medical students.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000844219
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP565449
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
PCS Notice - Website Prior Information 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

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
16 Oct 20262 weeks 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
University Of Edinburgh
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH1 1HT
Postcode Area
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM75 City of Edinburgh
Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
City Centre
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP565449
    Clinical Communication Training - The University of Edinburgh is seeking to identify suitably experienced suppliers to provide actor trainers for clinical communication teaching and assessment within Edinburgh Medical School. Actor trainers will support Year 5 and Year 6 medical students through simulated clinical communication scenarios, acting as patients and providing feedback to students to replicate real-life patient interactions. Year 5 teaching focuses on challenging and sensitive conversations, including breaking bad news and managing a range of patient responses. Year 6 teaching focuses on complex GP-style consultations, including exploring physical and psychosocial concerns, recognising barriers to accessing healthcare, identifying subtle cues, and considering safeguarding issues. Actor trainers will also be required to support Year 5 and Year 6 Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), including participation in pre-assessment calibration sessions and assessment days. For the 2026/27 academic year, the anticipated teaching requirement comprises approximately 35 Year 5 sessions requiring four actors per half-day session, one Year 5 catch-up session requiring four actors, four Year 6 sessions requiring nine actors per half-day session, and one Year 6 catch-up session requiring approximately two actors. Assessment requirements are anticipated to comprise three full-day Year 5 OSCE sessions requiring six actors, and three full-day Year 6 OSCE sessions requiring five actors, together with calibration sessions. Additional actors and/or sessions may be required for resits. The University is seeking suppliers with the capability to provide sufficient numbers of appropriately skilled and reliable actor trainers to meet these requirements, including the ability to portray varied patient presentations consistently and provide appropriate, constructive feedback to medical students.

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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