Find a TenderAwarded without competition
Published 5 Mar 2026, 15:39 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Integrated MSK Service · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (Central government)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Budget not disclosedValue not published
Awarded 5 Mar 2026no call for competition
Awarded to Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The provider currently delivers MSK community care across the West Essex area. This includes triage, physiotherapy, Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioners (APP), First Contact Practitioners, podiatric surgery, a pain management team, and podiatry services. The provider offers a high-quality service supported by highly experienced staff who deliver triage, assessment, diagnosis, diagnostics, and treatment to patients.<br/><br/>The intention is to award a contract to the existing provider through the Direct Award Process C.<br/><br/>Service dates: 01/04/2026 – 31/03/2031<br/><br/>Contract value: £23,743,285<br/><br/>The existing provider is successfully meeting the requirements of the original contract and is expected to continue delivering the proposed contract to a satisfactory standard 100%.

CPV: Community health services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Awarded

k1. The contract is to remain the same and the provider will continue to provide triage, physiotherapy, APP, FCP, podiatric surgery, pain management and podiatry. Activity plans will remain the same, however the APP plan will have a seasonal variance. There is to be no change to capacity within the service. <br/><br/>The service will be continually monitored but should remain achieving DNA and waiting time KPIs. It is expected that pathway review work will continue which in turn will improve the onward referral rate and support secondary care in increasing conversion to surgery rates. <br/><br/>The provider will be required to regularly collect and submit patient satisfaction data, this is collected but not currently routinely reported.<br/><br/>The provider will continue to review services and new guidance to ensure quality standards are met. The partnership will review how more technology, can be incorporated into the pathway to improve patient experience and focus on prevention as per the 10 year plan. <br/><br/>k2. The contract is not changing so will continue to provide value by providing community services closer to home. As part of the pathway reviews there will be opportunity to provide more in reach to secondary care for follow up outpatient appointments, further reducing the number of consultant appointments required as per Get It Right First Time (GIRFT) guidance. <br/><br/>k3. The provider will continue to provide FCPs in primary care and offer education and peer review to primary care clinicians at GP shut down sessions. <br/><br/>As part of the pathway reviews there is opportunity to have more APPs providing in-reach to consultant clinics to focus on follow up outpatient appointments, as per get it right first time (GIRFT) pathways. The pathway review will also improve referrals, conversion rates to surgery and discharge rates from clinic as we have seen in the shoulder sub-speciality. <br/> <br/>The spinal MDT is also expected to be expanded to discuss all patients not just complex patients. The provider is keen to support this and is reviewing capacity and referral rates to see how this can be achieved.<br/><br/>k4. Access to locations will remain unchanged and the current accessible locations will continue to be in place.<br/><br/>FCPs will continue to be in place across the West Essex patch offering MSK care at the beginning of the pathway.<br/><br/>Self referral will continue to be in place ensuring MSK care can be accessed without the need of a GP/primary care appointment<br/><br/>k5. The service will continue to be a provider in the community, at the current locations providing care closer to home, ensuring less travel costs for patients to attend appointments and reducing carbon emissions.

Delivery: East of England · The Princess Alexandra Hospital

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached
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
5 Mar 2026, 15:39 GMT
Last source update
20 Mar 2026, 09:16 GMT
Authority reference
C429514
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-025546
Classification (CPV)
Community health services
Delivery area
East of England (UKH)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-066355 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
Published justification

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 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 17th March 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR'.

Publisher note: 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 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.<br/><br/>The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice 6th March 2026<br/><br/>Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 17th March 2026.<br/><br/>Written representations should be sent to [email protected]<br/><br/>This contract has not yet formally been awarded - this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.<br/><br/>No declared conflicts of interest<br/><br/>The following approved to direct award the MSK contract to EPUT;<br/>Executive Cabinet - 14th January 2026 (PAH executive team)<br/>Performance & Finance Committee - 29th January 2026 (PAH executive and non-executive team)<br/>Trust Board - 5th February 2026 (PAH executive and non-executive team)

Notice history

2 releases on Find a Tender
Published amendments (1)

‘This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) confirmation of contract award notice. This contract has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. This contract has now been formally awarded using direct award process C.’ Date of contract award …

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Bids received 1
Contracts signed 1latest 5 Mar 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust——Awarded

Contracts

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1bids——£23,743,285 – £23,743,285

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentBody governed by public lawHealth Hamstel Road,, Harlow, East of England, CM20 1QXContact name, email, phone

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • The High CourtReview body London

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.