NHS Primary Care Dentistry supporting Dental Workforce Training and Education

Across the country, there has been long-standing and well-known challenges for the public associated with accessing NHS dental care. Suffolk and North East Essex is in fact one of the most challenged areas.

Dental commissioning responsibilities will move from NHS England to local integrated care boards across the country from 1st April 2023. We are working on plans to deliver significant change and improvement in the medium to long term, with the vision of enabling timely access to NHS dental services for all and growing and developing the whole dental workforce.

The service will be expected to provide mandatory services to the population of NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board with a minimum of eight, fully equipped dental surgery units in order to address oral health needs utilising a skilled multidisciplinary team, covering all proper and necessary dental care and treatment.

The service will guarantee placements for local newly qualified and in training dental nurses, therapists, hygienists and dental technicians and provide or have the ability to provide placements for newly qualified and in training dentists. The service will provide a teaching environment for student hygienists and therapists affiliated with a local education establishment.

The service will provide or have the potential to provide the opportunity for overseas dentists to practice under supervision alongside completing the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE). The GDC require the provider to have 'institution' status to employee overseas dentists.

The service will work within the social, economic, and environmental themes within the Cabinet Office Social Value Model to ensure they are always doing the right thing by both their people and the planet.

This notice is made by the Contracting Authority; NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (hereinafter referred to as "the Authority") in compliance with their local standing financial instructions (SFIs) to notify the market of the intention to award a contract to deliver NHS Primary Care Dentistry supporting Dental Workforce Training and Education to University of Suffolk Dental Community Interest Company.

The Authority is to award the services outlined in this notice to the University of Suffolk Dental Community Interest Company as no other suitable providers expressed an interest in the F01: Prior information notice (call for competition) - Notice reference: 2023/S 000-006981 - NHS Primary Care Dentistry supporting Dental Workforce Training and Education. Additional information: The Service to which this procurement relates fall within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as amended by as amended by The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, (the "Regulations"). As such, the Contracting Authority does not intend to hold itself bound by any of the Regulations, save those applicable to Schedule 3 Services.

Contract review provision:

Please note that the services and associated specification and prices commissioned within this contract may be subject to review and change, any changes will be through a variation to the contract in accordance with Regulation 72 (1) (a) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Additionally, the contract may also be amended in terms of the original services supplied, where, following assessment it is identified that it is logical for additional services to be delivered in conjunction with this contract and by the provider, both in terms of actual service delivery and to avoid duplication of costs.

These services may include but are not limited to other services and specialties formally delivered in the primary and secondary care systems where it is foreseen that these services can be delivered more effectively as part of this contract.