---
title: "CN260642 - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Mental Health Assessment Service"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0784d6"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0784d6"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0784d6.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0784d6.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "Kent County Council"
published: "2026-10-09"
---

# CN260642 - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Mental Health Assessment Service

Buyer: Kent County Council  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0784d6

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## Summary

Kent County Council intends to procure a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) mental health assessment service across Kent. The supplier will work with the Kent DoLS Service to manage referrals and assessment processes, arrange and complete assessments, and provide timely, high-quality assessments that meet statutory requirements. Assessors will consider whether recommendations under the Mental Capacity Act are appropriate. The service is intended to support the Council in meeting its legal duties and maintain care, transparency and assurance for individuals and their families. This is community health work focused on specialist mental health assessments, rather than a general health-service contract.

This is at the planning stage: the Council has expressed an intention to procure, but has not issued an invitation to tender. It anticipates launching the tender in November 2026, although this is not guaranteed; the next notice is forecast for 15 February 2027. The proposed service start is 1 May 2027. The expected contract term is two years, with a possible extension of up to two further years. The stated estimated value is £1,095,970. The procurement is presented as a single lot. No procedure, bid evaluation basis or supplier eligibility rules are set out at this stage.

The service is suited to providers able to manage a steady flow of referrals and deliver specialist mental health assessments across Kent in coordination with the Council’s DoLS service. It requires access to appropriately qualified and experienced professionals: assessments must be carried out by Section 12 doctors who are full members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and/or doctors on the GMC Specialist Register as specialists in psychiatry. Where appropriate, assessors must also be able to make recommendations under the Mental Capacity Act. Suppliers should be prepared to demonstrate efficient referral handling, reliable assessment delivery and the ability to meet statutory requirements while maintaining high standards of care, transparency and assurance for individuals and families. The planning description does not state other required accreditations or capacity thresholds.

## Notice

DoLS Mental Health Assessment. This is not a call for competition, this is to express interest in this opportunity. Kent County Council (KCC) are anticipating procuring a DoLS Mental Health Assessment with the tender anticipated to launch in November 2026; Kent County Council does not guarantee this. The opportunity that launches will seek a supplier, working in conjunction with Kent DoLS Service, to arrange and complete these assessments, through the delivery of a Mental Health Assessment Service. The assessments must be undertaken by Section 12 doctors, who are also full members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and/or on the GMC Specialist Register as a specialist in psychiatry; and, where appropriate, those assessors must complete recommendations under the Mental Capacity Act. KCC propose a Service Commencement date of 1 May 2027. The Service Contract is expected to be for 2 years, with a possible extension of up 2 years.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

DoLS Mental Health Assessment. This is not a call for competition, this is to express interest in this opportunity. Kent County Council (KCC) are anticipating procuring a DoLS Mental Health Assessment with the tender anticipated to launch in November 2026; Kent County Council does not guarantee this. The opportunity that launches will seek a supplier, working in conjunction with Kent DoLS Service, to arrange and complete these assessments, through the delivery of a Mental Health Assessment Service. The assessments must be undertaken by Section 12 doctors, who are also full members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and/or on the GMC Specialist Register as a specialist in psychiatry; and, where appropriate, those assessors must complete recommendations under the Mental Capacity Act. KCC propose a Service Commencement date of 1 May 2027. The Service Contract is expected to be for 2 years, with a possible extension of up 2 years. It is intended that the Mental Health Assessment Service will ensure the Council has access to timely, high-quality Mental Health Assessments, in compliance with statutory requirements, including the Mental Capacity (Deprivation of Liberty: Standard Authorisations, Assessments and Ordinary Residence) Regulations 2008. The chosen supplier will be responsible for the efficient management of referrals and assessment processes, and the provision of suitably qualified and experienced professionals to undertake the assessments, supporting the Council in meeting its legal duties and maintaining high standards of care, transparency, and assurance for individuals and their families. To express your interest in this opportunity, please visit: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/D9B842CKSY If you experience any technical difficulties from accessing the above url, then please contact the Delta eSourcing Helpdesk on call 0800 923 9236 or email helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095709-2026 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 15 Feb 2027 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £1,095,970 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Kent County Council |
| Locality | MAIDSTONE |
| Postcode area | Rochester |
| Postcode | ME14 1XQ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent |
| ITL 3 | TLJ45 Mid Kent |
| Local authority | Maidstone |
| Electoral ward | Penenden Heath |
| Westminster constituency | Maidstone and Malling |
| Delivery location | TLJ4 Kent |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85323000 - Community health services

## Release History

- 9 Oct 2026 at 14:17 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095709-2026

## Notice URLs

- https://www.kent.gov.uk/
- https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/
- https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1073007616
- https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/D9B842CKSY
- https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Community-health-services./D9B842CKSY

## 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-0784d6. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0784d6.json.