---
title: "Microbiology Referrals - Public Health Wales"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e6eb"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e6eb"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e6eb.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e6eb.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust"
published: "2026-08-18"
---

# Microbiology Referrals - Public Health Wales

Buyer: Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e6eb

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## Summary

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust procured microbiology referral testing services, covering the referral and processing of microbiology tests. The requirement is classified as medical laboratory services. Delivery is associated with the United Kingdom, with the buyer based at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead. The selected provider is Public Health Wales, a large organisation based in Cardiff. The service supports the Trust’s health-related activities through access to specialist microbiology laboratory capability. This is a focused laboratory testing requirement rather than a general healthcare staffing, equipment supply or construction contract. Businesses operating medical laboratories or providing microbiology referral and diagnostic testing services are the closest commercial comparators for this procurement.

The procurement has been completed and awarded. The buyer used a limited procedure without prior publication of a competition, under the Provider Selection Regime for healthcare services. The award rationale was that the existing provider was the only capable provider and that there was no realistic alternative provider. Public Health Wales received the award for £10,000. The award decision date was 4 August 2026, and the contract was signed on the same date. The stated service period runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028. One lot was recorded, although its status is cancelled; the associated award and contract are recorded as active. One bid was recorded, and cost-based evaluation cited no realistic alternative provider.

This award demonstrates demand from Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust for a defined microbiology referral testing service delivered through a specialist public health laboratory provider. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need dependable medical laboratory infrastructure, the technical ability to undertake microbiology referral tests, and sufficient capacity to provide consistent service to an NHS organisation. The decision also shows the importance of demonstrating that the provider can perform the full requirement and that realistic alternatives exist, since the stated basis for the direct award was that the existing provider was the only capable provider. Organisations seeking comparable work should therefore be able to evidence relevant laboratory experience, operational resilience and a clear service model for NHS referral testing.

## Notice

Microbiology referral tests

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Description of Services: Microbiology Testing Services Contract Award Statement: This is a provider Selection Regime (PSR) confirmation of contract award notice, following direct award process A. Contract Value: PS10000 Services to be Provided between: 01.04.26 - 31.03.28

### Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) confirmation of contract 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 Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. Details of the Award Decision-Makers: Natasha Waterhouse, Microbiology Manager. Conflicts of Interest: There were no conflicts of interest identified among the decision makers. Rationale: The Authority intends to directly award a contract to Public Health Wales under Direct Award Process A. The existing provider is the only capable provider of the service

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078706-2026 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 4 Aug 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 | £10,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust |
| Locality | GATESHEAD |
| Postcode area | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Postcode | NE9 6SX |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear |
| ITL 3 | TLC43 Tyneside |
| Local authority | Gateshead |
| Electoral ward | High Fell |
| Westminster constituency | Gateshead Central and Whickham |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Public Health Wales |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85145000 - Services provided by medical laboratories

## Release History

- 18 Aug 2026 at 16:53 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078706-2026

## Notice URLs

- http://www.gatesheadhealth.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-06e6eb. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e6eb.json.