APMS Contracts in Mid and South Essex

NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) intends to award multiple contracts for the provision of Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) to incumbent providers across Mid and South Essex under Direct Award Process C in accordance with the Provider Selection Regime 2023. This approach reflects a strategic commissioning decision to ensure continuity and stability of primary care services where current providers are delivering safe, effective, and patient-centred care with no identified quality concerns, while also demonstrating value for money and strong integration within Primary Care Networks and local neighbourhood models.

The proposed awards support the ICB’s objectives to maintain service continuity, manage demand and workforce pressures, and improve population health outcomes, while responding to local market capacity constraints and avoiding service disruption. Contracts will be aligned to existing service models and are not materially different in character from current arrangements, with the intention of enabling ongoing delivery of accessible, responsive primary medical services and supporting longer-term system planning.

Please see II.2.4) Description of the procurement for further details. NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) intends to award multiple contracts for the provision of Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) to incumbent providers across Mid and South Essex under Direct Award Process C, in accordance with the Provider Selection Regime 2023.

This commissioning approach reflects a strategic decision to maintain continuity and stability of primary medical services where current providers are delivering safe, effective, and patient-centred care, with no identified quality concerns. The incumbent providers demonstrate strong operational performance, integration within Primary Care Networks, and the ability to respond to local population health needs, while also providing services that represent value for money relative to alternative delivery models.

College Health Limited will be awarded three contracts for Thurrock Health Centre, Commonwealth Health Centre and Tilbury Health Centre. These contracts will run for a period of five years, commencing 1 July 2027 and expiring 30 June 2032.

The decision to award these contracts reflects the need to maintain service continuity while further work is undertaken to assess longer-term commissioning options, including considerations relating to patient choice and provider scale. The proposed arrangements are not materially different in character from existing contracts (Regulation 6(10)(a)) and the awards are attributable to decisions made by the Authority (Regulation 6(10)(b)(i)).

Neither of the value thresholds for a considerable change are met (Regulation 6(b)(i) and 6(b)(ii)). The total estimated lifetime value of the contracts awarded to College Health Limited is £25,301,718.90.

Primary Care Partners Limited will be awarded a contract for Purfleet Health Centre for a period of six years, commencing 1 July 2027 and expiring 30 June 2033. This award aligns contract duration with other APMS arrangements held by the provider and reflects the absence of concerns regarding current service delivery, alongside identified constraints in local market capacity to support alternative commissioning routes.

The proposed arrangements are not materially different in character from existing provision (Regulation 6(10)(a)) and the award is attributable to a decision made by the Authority (Regulation 6(10)(b)(i)). Neither value threshold for considerable change is met (Regulation 6(b)(i) and 6(b)(ii)). The total estimated lifetime value of the contract awarded to Primary Care Partners Limited is £6,666,209.94.