Market Engagement: Environmental Control Equipment for Patients with Complex Disability (All Ages) - South East region

This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of NHS Kent and Medway ICB's (the Commissioner's), intention to recommission Environmental Control Equipment for Patients with Complex Disability (All Ages) in the South East region. The service is expected to cover Kent and Medway, South East London and Sussex. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering the service and invites expressions of interest (EOI) from suitably qualified and experienced providers to provide the service. The ICB areas involved are: 1. NHS Kent and Medway ICB 2. NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB 3. NHS South East London ICB The number of active clients (2025/26) are as follows: NHS Kent and Medway ICB = 191 NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB (East Sussex) = 92 NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB (Brighton) = 34 NHS South East London ICB = 160 TOTAL = 477 Service specification link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/environmental-control-equipment-for-patients-with-complex-disability-all-ages/ The aims of the service are: • To provide relevant Environmental Control (EC) equipment to adults and children with complex physical disabilities, due to variety of medical conditions, in order to improve their independence, quality of life, safety and participation. • To participate with the provision of other Electronic Assistive Technologies (EAT) such as communication aids, powered wheelchair controls and other equipment of daily living, where this is appropriate. • To collaborate with other clinical services and social agencies to optimise patient's wellbeing. • To ensure that patients and carers are well informed on the use of the equipment that has been loaned to them. • To adapt equipment provision to meet the changing needs of the patient. • To provide the service in an independent, unbiased, cost effective and accountable way. • To ensure all staff within the service are trained to an adequate and relevant level of competency, including awareness of technological developments • To promote the development and application of EC and other relevant EAT products. • To promote equitable provision of service across the population and diagnostic groups, developing and maintaining a care pathway for referral and provision in conjunction with local community services • To support primary and secondary care staff by offering them specialist professional advice and training. • To collaborate with national initiatives to develop and improve service provision. The objectives of the service are to: • Undertake assessment of individual patient's EC needs by professionals with relevant competencies, working within or alongside the service. This should include recommendations on equipment solutions and referral to other agencies as appropriate. • Maintain access to a loan bank of appropriate EC equipment for assessment, trial and long term loan to patients. • Provide as appropriate, a broad range of equipment as required to meet an individual patient's independence goals. • Support patient's use of EC equipment by regularly reviewing them and their equipment requirements so as to meet changing needs and enable them to maintain a reasonable degree of independence. • Ensure all equipment provided is maintained in a satisfactory state and checked in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations. • Health and social care professionals working in areas where service uptake is low are targeted and encouraged to refer those who could benefit from equitable equipment provision. The contract term is anticipated to be for an initial period of 5 years with the option to extend for up to 4 years (4 x 12 month extensions). The annual contract value is currently expected to be £1,633,031 per annum (based on 2025/26 values). All figures are subject to change. Providers who are interested in delivering these services are asked to express their interest and complete the Microsoft (MS) Form questionnaire using the link below: https://forms.office.com/e/aRHp52qLeW Please ensure that you submit a completed MS Forms questionnaire by no later than 17:00 on Friday 31st July 2026. Please note, this exercise will test provider preference for either a whole‑region delivery or smaller ICB‑level lots. The contracting and commissioning strategy is yet to be finalised and this market engagement is an opportunity for potential providers to help inform the contracting and commissioning strategy. This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner. SCW is currently subject to restructuring, and the management of this exercise may therefore move to a successor at some point during the process. Participants will be informed of any such change, and any administrative changes because of it.