HMP Lowdham Grange - Integrated Healthcare Services

Provision of Integrated Healthcare Services at HMP Lowdham Grange Integrated Prison Healthcare Services for primary healthcare including dental and optometry services, mental health and substance misuse services.

This notice is confirmation of an award having been made due to urgent circumstances as the incumbent provider has unexpectedly served notice on the contract. The contract period is for an initial period of 4 years from 16th July 2025 to 15th July 2029 with option to extend for 12 months.

The total contract value for the 5 years is £33,999,290. Additional information: This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).This contract has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations2023.For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act Regulations 2023 do not apply to this award.

Justification for Urgent award:- The contract award must be made urgently as the incumbent provider has unexpectedly served notice on the contract. The incumbent provider decision was not foreseeable as this was a decision made by the Executive Board which the relevant authority is not party to.

NHS England has a statutory duty to commission healthcare services in places of detention; failure to award this contract would be a breach of this duty and result in harm to this vulnerable patient group as there would be no alternative accessible healthcare services. Justification for Contract Length:- The new service contract will take a minimum of two years to embed, service development opportunities to be realised and the desired improvements in patient outcomes to be monitored.

Procurement of new healthcare services can then be based on an improved outcomes for patients and mature service delivery models. The Offender Health market offers a limited number of providers; the contract duration will afford commissioners time to review optimal service delivery models and stimulate the market to attract more providers ahead of a full procurement Advice from National colleagues recommends the addition of an option to extend the contract for 12 months providing a 5-year contract length, the minimum contract length recognised as good practice.

This decision was approved by NHS England Regional Commissioning Group on 01 May 2025. There are no conflicts or potential conflicts of interest.