Highly Specialist Speech and Language Assessment

Official notice

Authority: Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (Central government)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition

Sectors: Health & Social Care (85) Delivery: East of England (UKH1)

Awarded value£500published contract · exc. VAT

Awarded 27 Apr 2026no call for competition

Awarded to Bowers Dysphagia Specialist

What is being bought

Published requirement description

temporary arrangement to purchase private highly specialist dysphagia assessment to a clinically at-risk individual in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney Locality

CPV: Health services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Lot #1Service users admitted to our inpatient facilities do not have access to Speech and…Awarded

Service users admitted to our inpatient facilities do not have access to Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) services due to a commissioning gap. As a result, when a dysphagia need is identified, service users are unable to receive a comprehensive assessment, which poses a clinical risk. The absence of appropriate assessment increases the potential that a choking incident could occur, potentially resulting in serious harm if dysphagia needs are not adequately addressed. Whilst a longer-term solution is explored this urgent contract has been awarded to avoid serious harm

Delivery: East of England · Whitlingham Ward Secure Unit, Norwich

85100000 Health services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record

Procedure method: Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis: CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category: Services
Notice status: Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold: Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime: Standard
Commercial structure: Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type: Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered: Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement: Unspecified in notice
First published: 20 May 2026, 09:22 BST
Last source update: 20 May 2026, 09:22 BST
FTS notice number: 2026/S 000-046054
Classification (CPV): Health services
Delivery area: East of England (UKH1)
Official registry OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-069c98 Find a Tender

Why no open competition: Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority/entity and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the directive
Published justification: all peer organisations and system partners declined to offer any support citing lack of capacity and skill mix in the teams. This is a high-risk case requiring a one-off single assessment. In this case we are required to act rapidly to address immediate risks to safety and quality of care. Delaying the award of the contract to conduct a full application of the PSR would be likely to pose a risk to patient safety

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast

Awards 1

Awarded value £5001 contract exc. VAT

Bids received 1

Contracts signed 1latest 27 Apr 2026

Awarded to	Value	Date	Status
Bowers Dysphagia Specialist	£500 †	—	Awarded

Contracts

Contract 046054-2026-1 · Bowers Dysphagia Specialist
Signed
27 Apr 2026
Value
£500
Status
active

Bid statistics published by the authority

Bids	SME	VCSE	Valid bid range
1bids	—	—	—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentBody governed by public lawHealth GB-NHS: RMY County Hall, Norwich, East of England, NR1 2DHContact email

Dispute resolution & review bodies

CEDRReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Bowers Dysphagia SpecialistAwarded supplier Norwich, East of England

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.