---
title: "Future Residential, Nursing and Specialist Care Home Framework"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078995"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078995"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078995.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078995.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "Wirral Council"
published: "2026-10-16"
---

# Future Residential, Nursing and Specialist Care Home Framework

Buyer: Wirral Council  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078995

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## Summary

Wirral Council is developing a future framework for residential, nursing and specialist care home services for residents whose needs can no longer be safely met in the community. The intended framework is part of the Council’s approach to supporting independent living through preventative and community-based care, while ensuring access to high-quality placements as demand and the complexity of residents’ needs increase. The Council wants the framework to respond to local needs and support a sustainable care home market. The services are intended for Wirral; the procurement covers health and social care services (CPV 85000000). This is currently a planning exercise to inform the framework’s design, rather than an invitation to tender.

The process is at planning stage. Wirral Council is undertaking preliminary market engagement to inform its commissioning intentions and framework design; participation is not part of the procurement and will not affect future tender evaluation. The Council expects to use an open procedure for a framework agreement, with one planned lot. The indicative contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2035, and the estimated value is £632 million gross. The Council expects to publish a further notice around 20 January 2027. It has asked market participants to complete a questionnaire through The Chest, with responses expected by 28 October 2026 at noon. Feedback is sought on market conditions, service gaps, capacity, placements, innovation, realistic admissions timescales and collaboration.

This engagement is most relevant to care home providers offering residential, nursing or specialist care in Wirral, as well as sector representatives and system partners able to contribute evidence about provision and commissioning. Providers can use the exercise to explain what works in the current market and placement process, where capacity or services fall short, and the pressures and challenges affecting delivery. The Council is seeking practical ideas for innovation, improvement and more effective collaboration, alongside realistic expectations for admissions and placements. Suppliers with knowledge of complex care needs and the ability to deliver high-quality outcomes will have relevant experience to share as the framework is shaped. The planned lot is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

## Notice

Wirral Council is undertaking pre-market engagement to inform the development of a new Residential, Nursing and Specialist Care Home Framework. Through this engagement we are seeking feedback from care home providers, sector representatives and system partners to better understand current market conditions, future challenges and opportunities for collaboration. The Council remains committed to supporting people to live independently for as long as possible through preventative and community-based approaches. However, we recognise that care homes continue to play a vital role in supporting people whose needs can no longer be safely met within the community. As demand continues to increase and needs become more complex, the Council is keen to work with providers to develop a future framework that is sustainable, responsive to local needs and able to deliver high-quality outcomes for Wirral residents. Subject Matter Through this engagement, we are seeking feedback from care home providers, sector representatives and system partners to help shape the future framework. We are particularly keen to understand what is working well, where improvements can be made, and how the Council can work collaboratively with providers to develop a sustainable model for the future. The information gathered will help inform future commissioning intentions and framework design. Participation in this exercise does not form part of any procurement process and will not influence any future tender evaluation. As we develop the Framework, we want to understand: * What is currently working well within the care home market and placement process. * What challenges providers are experiencing. * Where there are gaps in provision, capacity or service delivery. * What opportunities exist for innovation and improvement. * What providers consider to be realistic expectations and timescales for admissions and placements. * How the Council can work more effectively with providers to create a sustainable and successful framework. Your feedback will help inform the design of the future Care Home Framework and ensure it reflects the realities of delivering care, supports residents to achieve the best possible outcomes, and creates a strong and sustainable care home market for Wirral. Thank you for taking the time to share your views and expertise.

### Planning Information

Questionnaire to be completed on the Chest portal:
https://procontract.due-north.com/Opportunities/
Title- Future Residential, Nursing and Specialist Care Home Framework
Project reference- DN832915
All questions to be raised via the Chest portal
Closing date for responses 12 Noon on Thursday 28th October 2026
If you experience any technical difficulties registering or using The Chest, please contact
support:
Email: procontractsuppliers@proactis.com
Telephone: 0330 005 0352

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098005-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 20 Jan 2027 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 1 Apr 2035 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £632,000,000 |
| 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 | Wirral Council |
| Locality | WALLASEY |
| Postcode area | Chester |
| Postcode | CH44 8ED |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD7 Merseyside |
| ITL 3 | TLD74 Wirral |
| Local authority | Wirral |
| Electoral ward | Seacombe |
| Westminster constituency | Wallasey |
| Delivery location | TLD74 Wirral |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85000000 - Health and social work services

## Release History

- 16 Oct 2026 at 14:23 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098005-2026
- 16 Oct 2026 at 13:57 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097980-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098005-2026
  16th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097980-2026
  16th October 2026 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://procontract.due-north.com/Opportunities/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-078995. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078995.json.