--- title: "Primary Eye Care Services Post Operative Cataract for WE 26-28" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-067206" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067206" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067206.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067206.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "NHS HERTFORDSHIRE AND WEST ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD" published: "2026-04-07" --- # Primary Eye Care Services Post Operative Cataract for WE 26-28 Buyer: NHS HERTFORDSHIRE AND WEST ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-067206 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067206) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067206.json) ## Summary The procurement process involves the awarding of a contract for "Primary Eye Care Services Post Operative Cataract for WE 26-28," managed by the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board. This service, under the health industry category, aims to provide post-operative cataract care for low-risk patients through community Optometrists, thus bypassing traditional hospital pathways. The process falls under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, specifically through Direct Award Process C. The contract runs from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2027, with a potential one-year extension. The location for this service is Harlow, Essex. The procurement stage is currently at the Award phase, having been confirmed on 23rd March 2026, with the prior intention to award announced earlier and no representations received during the standstill period. The lifetime value of the contract is GBP 139,200. This contracting opportunity opens avenues for businesses involved in primary healthcare services, particularly those offering specialised eye care. The service's design to use community-based Optometrists for follow-up cataract appointments could be an attractive bid for SMEs interested in expanding healthcare solutions outside hospital environments. The contracting arrangement, which anticipates reducing outpatient follow-ups in acute settings, presents scope for businesses that can provide seamless integration of ophthalmic services, ensuring patient care and satisfaction. Additionally, companies that have previously operated similar community-based healthcare models may find themselves well-positioned to deliver these services effectively, benefitting from the streamlined procurement method without the need for a competitive call for tenders. ## Notice The Post Operative Cataract Service (POCS) is service under the Primary Eyecare Services (PES) contract allowing low-risk patients to be reviewed for the post-op follow-up appointment outside of traditional hospital-based pathways, with community Optometrists. This includes patients who have had routine, uncomplicated cataract surgery. To confirm as per the PSR Direct Award Process C, the existing provider is satisfying the existing contract, delivering a good service, meeting all KPIs, with no quality concerns and good outcomes and has very good feedback from patients and are likely to satisfy the new contract, and the proposed contracting arrangements are not changing from the existing contract. ### Lot Information Lot 1 Follow-up appointments are provided in the community within 4-6 weeks after surgery, combined with the require sight test, meaning only one appointment for patients rather than two. The POCS is a clinical examination to check for, or treat, any postoperative complications, assess visual outcome and refractive status. If no complications then a patient is discharged from the POCS and the provider is updated on this outcome, by suitably qualified clinicians locally, in a safe, convenient and appropriate environment. Where there are complications safely referred back to the provider. This should also see a reduction in outpatient follow-up appointments in an acute setting freeing up sessions and clinics for addressing the review list and outpatient first attendances. A POCS Pilot for 12 months period was carried out with Primary Eye Care services from May-22 to Mar-23. A six month extension period was agreed to allow decision on POCS from Mar-23 to Sep-23. In Aug-23, POCS Evaluation was presented to West Essex Transformation Committee, with finanical modelling. Business case was taken through the triple lock process and it was agreed to commission the POCS service for 18 months from Oct-23 - Apr 25. The POCS was re-evaluated in Aug 24 to review is impact. Recommendation was to continue the service as achieving KPI's. The contract award and extension of the POCS service from 1st Apr 2026-31st Mar 2028 was agreed at Essex Joint Executive Committee on 06/01/26 & the Central East Central Payer Function Committee on 16.01.26. Contract is being awarded to the existing provider following Direct Award Process C. Options: Option to extend by one year ### 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 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 the relevant authority by 2nd April 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031339-2026 | | 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 | | All stages | Tender, Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 7 Apr 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 23 Mar 2026 | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £139,200 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Cancelled | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NHS HERTFORDSHIRE AND WEST ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD | | Locality | MARLOWES, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD | | Post town | Hemel Hempstead | | Postcode | HP1 1DN | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire | | ITL 3 | TLH27 South West Hertfordshire | | Local authority | Dacorum | | Electoral ward | Hemel Hempstead Town | | Westminster constituency | Hemel Hempstead | | Delivery location | TLH35 West Essex | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | PRIMARY EYE CARE SERVICES | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85100000 - Health services ## Release History - 7 Apr 2026 at 10:13 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031339-2026 - 23 Mar 2026 at 18:17 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026514-2026 ## Notice URLs - https://www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/ ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-067206. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-067206.json.