Provision of continued General Medical Services (GMS) for Tollgate Practice patients

Pursuant to The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, Regulation 14, Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) will be awarding an Urgent Caretaker arrangement for the delivery of continued General Medical Services (GMS) for Tollgate Practice patients. Tollgate Practice is a general medical practice in Colchester.

The partners withdrew from the GMS contract. Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) has delegated responsibility to ensure continuity of primary medical services for Tollgate Practice's registered patient list.

There is a significant risk that there will be no provision of primary medical services, jeopardising the health and well-being of patients (to a potentially fatal degree). Therefore this contract needs to be placed urgently.

The Authority therefore has an urgent need for the provision of continued general medical services forming part of this contract and cannot be left without a provider. The contract duration will be for an initial 1 year, starting on 12.3.2025, with the option to extend by a further year.

The maximum contract duration will be 2 years. The value of the contract being offered for the scope of services for the 1-year contract period is £928,032.00.

The aggregate value of the contract (including extension provision of 1 year) is £1,856,064.00. Given the nature of business modelling involved and the associated resource implications for the potential provider it is necessary for the contingency contract to be for a maximum 24 months, in order for this to be a viable proposition. The costs of a shorter term contract would be prohibitive and would potentially negatively impact on health care.