--- title: "Contracts for Innovation Cymru - Reducing Missed Appointments and Improving Access to Planned Care" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-07775d" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-07775d" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07775d.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07775d.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board" published: "2026-09-22" --- # Contracts for Innovation Cymru - Reducing Missed Appointments and Improving Access to Planned Care Buyer: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-07775d [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-07775d) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07775d.json) ## Summary Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is seeking innovative services and solutions to reduce missed outpatient appointments and improve access to planned care across Wales. The challenge is open to approaches including appointment communication and engagement, accessible information, scheduling and management, behavioural interventions, identifying people at risk of non-attendance, travel and accessibility support, digital or data-driven tools, community support and service redesign. Solutions should improve patient experience, clinic utilisation, operational efficiency and equity of access, including Welsh-language and inclusive delivery. The requirement is primarily for health, social care, community, research and development, consultancy, software or related services. It is deliberately technology- and product-neutral, allowing different sectors and disciplines to propose practical interventions. The procurement has reached tender: the buyer invited offers through an open procedure. Enquiries had to be submitted by 16 October 2026 at 00:00, and offers by 20 October 2026 at 12:00. Offers may be submitted electronically in Welsh or English. The evaluation and award decision period ends on 30 October 2026. The contract is scheduled to run from 16 November 2026 to 31 March 2027. The total budget is £200,000 excluding VAT, or £240,000 including VAT, to support a portfolio of projects; funding allocations may be adjusted. Technical quality carries 87% of the evaluation, commercial cost and value for money 9%, and measurable social value for Wales 4%. Economic and technical selection requirements apply. This opportunity suits innovative suppliers able to develop and implement practical solutions in health and care settings, rather than organisations offering only early-stage academic research or fundamental research. Strong candidates may bring expertise in patient communications, accessibility, behavioural change, data analysis, digital services, scheduling, transport, community support, service design or pathway redesign. Proposals should demonstrate a credible route to adoption, measurable outcomes and the ability to consider affordability, scalability and long-term sustainability. Suppliers must support inclusive access across different populations and geographic settings, with Welsh-language capability where patient-facing delivery is involved. Relevant experience of working with health or care services, managing delivery risks, meeting agreed deliverables and budgets, and respecting necessary clinical oversight will be important. Small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises are suitable participants. ## Notice Challenge Overview Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTM UHB) experiences persistently high rates of missed outpatient appointments, with approximately 64,000 appointments missed over the last 12 months. These missed appointments create challenges for patients and services alike, contributing to longer waiting times, underutilised clinical capacity, financial inefficiencies and poorer patient experience. CTM estimates that missed appointments may account for approximately PS9.6 million of avoidable lost value each year, representing a significant opportunity to improve both patient access and the use of NHS resources. Evidence suggests that non-attendance is often linked to a range of practical, behavioural, communication and accessibility barriers rather than a simple choice not to attend. These barriers can include challenges associated with appointment communication, transport, geography, caring responsibilities, socioeconomic factors, digital exclusion, health inequalities and service design. Contracts for Innovation Cymru (CfIC) is seeking innovative solutions that help people overcome these barriers, reducing missed appointments whilst improving access to planned care. The challenge is deliberately open and does not prescribe a particular technology, product or service. We welcome ideas from a wide range of sectors and disciplines and encourage applicants to think creatively about how attendance, access and patient experience can be improved. We are seeking innovative approaches that help reduce missed appointments and improve access to planned care. Solutions may address one or more aspects of the challenge, including but not limited to: * Appointment communication and engagement * Accessibility of information * Appointment planning and management * Behavioural approaches that encourage attendance * Identification of individuals at increased risk of non-attendance * Travel and accessibility barriers * Digital tools and services * Community-based support models * Service and pathway redesign * Data-driven approaches to improve attendance and access Applicants are encouraged to consider how different barriers interact and how solutions may support a diverse population with differing needs and circumstances. We are not seeking a predetermined solution and welcome a broad range of innovative approaches. ________________________________________ In Scope We are interested in solutions that can contribute to one or more of the following: * Improving appointment attendance and reducing missed appointments. * Improving access to planned care services. * Appointment communication and engagement. * Accessibility of information and services. * Appointment planning, scheduling and management. * Behavioural approaches that support attendance. * Identification of people at increased risk of non-attendance. * Reducing practical barriers to accessing services. * Data-driven, digital or technology-enabled approaches. * Community-based or service redesign approaches. * Improving equity of access across different populations and geographic settings. * Welsh language, accessibility and inclusive service delivery. Out of Scope We are not seeking projects that: * Focus solely on increasing demand for healthcare services. * Are primarily academic or research studies with no credible route to implementation. * Require extensive fundamental research before development can commence. * Cannot demonstrate a realistic route to adoption within health and care services. * Do not consider affordability, scalability or long-term sustainability. * Rely solely on English-language patient-facing delivery. * Seek to replace appropriate clinical oversight or professional judgement where this remains necessary. ________________________________________ Desired Outcomes Successful solutions should demonstrate potential to deliver measurable improvements in one or more of the following areas. Patients and Citizens * Improved access to planned care services * Increased appointment attendance * Improved patient experience * Reduced travel and logistical burden * Better health outcomes through more timely access to care * Fairer access irrespective of location, income or personal circumstances Staff * Improved clinic utilisation * Reduced administrative burden * More effective use of clinical time * Improved operational efficiency Health and Care Systems * Reduced DNA rates * Improved productivity and service flow * Reduced waiting times * Better use of public resources * Reduced health inequalities * Improved sustainability and environmental outcomes Potential measures of success may include attendance rates, service utilisation, waiting times, patient experience, equity measures, operational efficiency and value for money. Funding and Support Phase 1 Funding Funding Available: PS200,000 total budget to support a portfolio of projects. The total funding available for the competition can change and the funders reserve the right to adjust the provisional funding allocations, i.e., should additional funding become available. Number of Projects: Current funding is available to support a portfolio of projects, dependent upon the number/quality of submissions received. Portfolio Approach Funding decisions may be made using a portfolio approach, recognising that complex challenges often require a range of complementary solutions rather than a single intervention. Consideration will be given to the overall balance of projects supported, the evidence generated and the potential for wider adoption and learning across Wales. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089560-2026 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 22 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | 20 Oct 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 16 Nov 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £200,000 | | Lots value | £200,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board | | Locality | BANGOR | | Postcode area | Llandudno | | Postcode | LL57 2PW | | Country | Wales | | ITL 1 | TLL Wales | | ITL 2 | TLL3 North Wales | | ITL 3 | TLL32 Gwynedd | | Local authority | Gwynedd | | Electoral ward | Y Faenol | | Westminster constituency | Bangor Aberconwy | | Delivery location | TLL Wales | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products - 48 - Software package and information systems - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security - 85 - Health and social work services - 98 - Other community, social and personal services ### Codes - 33000000 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products - 48000000 - Software package and information systems - 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services - 79310000 - Market research services - 85000000 - Health and social work services - 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services ## Release History - 22 Sep 2026 at 11:59 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089560-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089560-2026 22nd September 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Assets/NoticeBuilder_FileDownload.aspx?id=379860 Reducing Missed Appointments and Improving Access to Planned Care_ Challenge Brief _ English - https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Assets/NoticeBuilder_FileDownload.aspx?id=379861 Reducing Missed Appointments and Improving Access to Planned Care_ Challenge Brief _ Welsh - https://sbri.simplydo.co.uk/challenges/6ab12e655d237902d9349089 All technical requirements and relevant documentation can be accessed on the Simply Do Portal ## Notice URLs - https://www.contractsforinnovation.cymru/ - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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