---
title: "Specsavers AQP Audiology Service - Gateshead"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078ec4"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078ec4"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078ec4.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078ec4.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NHS NORTH EAST AND NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE BOARD"
published: "2026-10-23"
---

# Specsavers AQP Audiology Service - Gateshead

Buyer: NHS NORTH EAST AND NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE BOARD  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078ec4

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## Summary

NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board is procuring an Any Qualified Provider (AQP) audiology service for Gateshead. The service is healthcare provision in the audiology field; the scope is described as AQP audiology, with activity delivered on an ad hoc basis. This is a local service requirement for people in Gateshead, rather than a supply of equipment or a construction project. The selected provider is Specsavers Hearcare Group Limited. The procurement information describes the service as being delivered under an implied contract, and the stated purpose is to continue audiology provision through an existing provider assessed as meeting the requirements. The buyer is the regional integrated care board, based in Sunderland.

The procurement is recorded as complete, with Specsavers Hearcare Group Limited named as the selected provider for the Gateshead service. The process used a direct award under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, identified as Direct Award C; the notice states that the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024 do not apply. The stated contract value is £463,388, although the service activity is ad hoc and the value cannot be confirmed. The contract period is 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, and it was signed on 1 July 2026. The intention-to-award notice says the formal award is subject to a standstill period, with representations due by midnight on 4 November 2026 and formal award after the ninth working day following standstill. The stated evaluation assessed the provider’s performance and likelihood of meeting the proposed contract to a sufficient standard.

This award shows demand from the integrated care board for local, ad hoc audiology services in Gateshead, delivered through its Any Qualified Provider approach. A credible supplier for a future requirement would need the clinical capability and operational capacity to provide audiology services for local patients, with delivery flexible enough to respond to varying service activity. The selection rationale gives particular weight to evidence that the provider is satisfying the existing contract and is likely to deliver the proposed service to a sufficient standard; a competitor would therefore need a strong, evidenced record of reliable performance and the ability to meet the board’s service requirements. Suppliers should also be able to operate within the Provider Selection Regime framework used for this award. The contract demonstrates a continuing healthcare service requirement, rather than a one-off equipment purchase or works project.

## Notice

AQP - Audiology

### Lot Information

Lot 1

AQP - Audiology The relevant authority intends to award a contract to an existing provider under Direct Award C under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) regulations 2023. The contract value is PS463,388. The contract value cannot be confirmed as the services carried out within this contract are ad hoc. Contract Start Date: 1/4/2026 Contract End Date: 31/3/2027 Although the contract start is 01/04/2026, the services have been delivered on an implied contract.

### Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to 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 and the Procurement Regulations 2024 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the Standstill Period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by midnight on 4/11/2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. A contract will not be awarded until after the 9th working day following standstill.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100384-2026 |
| 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 | 23 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £463,388 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NHS NORTH EAST AND NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE BOARD |
| Locality | SUNDERLAND |
| Postcode area | Sunderland |
| Postcode | SR5 3XB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear |
| ITL 3 | TLC44 Sunderland |
| Local authority | Sunderland |
| Electoral ward | Castle |
| Westminster constituency | Washington and Gateshead South |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Specsavers Hearcare Group Ltd |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85000000 - Health and social work services

## Release History

- 23 Oct 2026 at 11:40 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100384-2026

## Notice URLs

- https://northeastnorthcumbria.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-078ec4. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078ec4.json.