--- title: "SCE0050 - Fostering Medical Assessments (AH1/AH2) and Medical Advisor Services" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06df68" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06df68" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06df68.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06df68.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL" published: "2026-08-07" --- # SCE0050 - Fostering Medical Assessments (AH1/AH2) and Medical Advisor Services Buyer: LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06df68 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06df68) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06df68.json) ## Summary The procurement process led by Leicester City Council, in collaboration with Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council, and North Northamptonshire Council, is currently in the planning stage. This initiative, under the tender ID SCE0050, seeks to explore market options for delivering fostering medical assessments and medical advisory services. The process focuses on service delivery within the Health and Social Work Services category and covers the geographical region of Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland, and Northamptonshire, United Kingdom. The current market engagement phase has a deadline set for 4th September 2026, with the entire procurement process projected to progress towards formal notice issuance by 1st February 2027. The contract period is tentatively planned from June 2027 to May 2028. This tender offers a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in health and social work services, particularly those with experience in medical assessments and advisory roles for fostering services. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are especially encouraged to engage in this soft market test, as it will inform future service models and commissioning strategies. Businesses that can propose innovative delivery models, either individually or through collaborative networks, have the potential to influence the procurement's framework, aligning with Leicester City Council's objective to ensure timely, high-quality assessments within legal requirements. This opportunity not only allows businesses to expand their service footprint across multiple regions but also to contribute to high-impact social care initiatives. ## Notice THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Fostering Medical Assessments (AH1/AH2) and Medical Advisor Services Leicester City Council is exploring the market to understand the availability and capability of organisations to deliver fostering medical assessments and provide independent medical advice to the Our Fostering Service. We are considering commissioning a provider who can undertake the full fostering medical assessment process, including completion of the Adult Health Report (AH1) and the Medical Advisor Report (AH2), full medical summary and attend fostering panels where required. Traditionally these assessments are completed by General Practitioners (GPs), with a Fostering Medical Advisor reviewing the information and providing advice to the fostering service and fostering panel. Due to increasing challenges in accessing GP capacity, Leicester City Council wishes to understand alternative delivery models that maintain high quality, timely assessments whilst meeting statutory requirements. We are also interested in understanding whether providers would have the capacity to deliver this service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN) should commissioning partners wish to pursue a collaborative approach. In addition to exploring a single provider model, Leicester City Council is also seeking market views on alternative delivery approaches that could support a collaborative service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN). This may include a single provider delivering across the whole footprint, a lead provider working with delivery partners or subcontractors, or a geographical delivery model where providers are responsible for delivering services within defined localities. The Council is keen to understand which delivery models the market considers to be the most effective, sustainable and capable of providing timely, high-quality fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services. Responses received through this Soft Market Test will help inform the future commissioning approach and determine whether a collaborative model across the wider LLRN footprint is viable. This soft market test gives providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners will use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your response, and it is not our intention to provide any feedback. Leicester City Council is a unitary authority serving a population of approximately 380,000 people. The Council is responsible for delivering a wide range of children's social care services, including fostering, adoption and kinship support. Leicester is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in the UK, with increasing demand for children's services. The Council is exploring alternative approaches to delivering fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services to ensure prospective foster carers receive timely, high-quality assessments that meet statutory requirements. Please note that any procurement and contract start dates mentioned in this notice are estimates and may change. Additionally, the total contract value is an estimate and it is likely to change. Further information can be found through the following advert link: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=fdb335f2-fe8b-f111-813c-005056b64545 ### Planning Information THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Fostering Medical Assessments (AH1/AH2) and Medical Advisor Services Leicester City Council is exploring the market to understand the availability and capability of organisations to deliver fostering medical assessments and provide independent medical advice to the Our Fostering Service. We are considering commissioning a provider who can undertake the full fostering medical assessment process, including completion of the Adult Health Report (AH1) and the Medical Advisor Report (AH2), full medical summary and attend fostering panels where required. Traditionally these assessments are completed by General Practitioners (GPs), with a Fostering Medical Advisor reviewing the information and providing advice to the fostering service and fostering panel. Due to increasing challenges in accessing GP capacity, Leicester City Council wishes to understand alternative delivery models that maintain high quality, timely assessments whilst meeting statutory requirements. We are also interested in understanding whether providers would have the capacity to deliver this service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN) should commissioning partners wish to pursue a collaborative approach. In addition to exploring a single provider model, Leicester City Council is also seeking market views on alternative delivery approaches that could support a collaborative service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN). This may include a single provider delivering across the whole footprint, a lead provider working with delivery partners or subcontractors, or a geographical delivery model where providers are responsible for delivering services within defined localities. The Council is keen to understand which delivery models the market considers to be the most effective, sustainable and capable of providing timely, high-quality fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services. Responses received through this Soft Market Test will help inform the future commissioning approach and determine whether a collaborative model across the wider LLRN footprint is viable. This soft market test gives providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners will use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your response, and it is not our intention to provide any feedback. Leicester City Council is a unitary authority serving a population of approximately 380,000 people. The Council is responsible for delivering a wide range of children's social care services, including fostering, adoption and kinship support. Leicester is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in the UK, with increasing demand for children's services. The Council is exploring alternative approaches to delivering fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services to ensure prospective foster carers receive timely, high-quality assessments that meet statutory requirements. Please note that any procurement and contract start dates mentioned in this notice are estimates and may change. Additionally, the total contract value is an estimate and it is likely to change. Further information can be found through the following advert link: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=fdb335f2-fe8b-f111-813c-005056b64545 ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075420-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 7 Aug 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 1 Feb 2027 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 May 2027 - 31 May 2028 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £1 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL | | Additional buyers | LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL; NORTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL; RUTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | LEICESTER | | Post town | Leicester | | Postcode | LE1 1FZ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) | | ITL 2 | TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire | | ITL 3 | TLF25 North Northamptonshire | | Local authority | North Northamptonshire | | Electoral ward | Lloyds | | Westminster constituency | Corby and East Northamptonshire | | Delivery location | TLF21 Leicester | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 7 Aug 2026 at 14:56 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075420-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075420-2026 7th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.leics.gov.uk - https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=fdb335f2-fe8b-f111-813c-005056b64545 - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.leicester.gov.uk - https://www.northnorthants.gov.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-06df68. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06df68.json.