NENC ICB Acute Respiratory Infection Hubs Service

This Request for Information (RFI) process is being undertaken to engage with the market to gather information on the market landscape in regards to ARI Hub services for North East and North Cumbria. This is a market landscape exercise only and is not a guarantee of a future provider selection process and/or contract.

The RFI on-line questionnaire should be submitted by no later than 11:59:59 pm on Monday, 24 November 2025.

The objective of the RFI is to:

• Understand Market Capability and Capacity
• Understand potential service delivery models
• Understand market appetite in regards to contract length
• Understand potential financial risks
• Understand potential mobilisation requirements and risks
• Understand potential concerns re: mandatory data sharing
• Understand potential premise arrangements and risks
• Understand any barriers and whole service risk

NHSE has asked systems to build on existing infrastructure to move on establishing ARI hubs to manage demand over winter, providing additional capacity to support primary and secondary care pressures and matching the needs of its population and to work towards a smoother interface between primary, community and secondary care. ARI hubs may help to reduce the risk of infection spread through reducing the footfall in A&E and primary care.

SERVICE AIMS

Support patients with urgent clinical needs by enhancing and providing additional same day access to assessment and specialist advice as needed.

Seek to reduce ambulance callouts, A&E attendances and hospital admissions for patients who could be appropriately managed in the community.

Reduce the burden of acute respiratory illness on primary care and provide more time for practice teams to support patients where continuity of care is most important.

Reduce nosocomial transmission by separating the high expected flow of infectious patients through hubs rather than usual GP waiting rooms and clinics.

Seek to provide an accessible and equitable service to support same day access (with consideration given to the location of these services). This approach would support a positive impact on the health outcomes of the Core20PLUS population for tackling health inequalities and provision of inclusive services. Additional information: For 2025/26 services, NENC ICB has split the ARI Hub allocated funding by a Fair Shares arrangement as outlined in the RFI supporting documents as provided in the Atamis e-tendering portal.

It is expected that funding for 2026/27 and 2027/28 will remain £1.5m per annum split once again through Fair Shares arrangements.

A critical service model principal is the mandatory completion of operational and clinical outcome data reporting which will offer NENC ICB and the regional population multiple benefits including the ability to demonstrate positive impact on patients.

This is mandated information and data requirements will be enforced in any future contracting arrangements and for all future providers.