PRJ2015 South East London 111 Procurement Update (15.01.2025)

The ICB’s current 111 contract comes to an end in March 2026 and the ICB has been working over the last 18 months to develop its future service model for integrated same day urgent care and as part of this service, its proposals for the future provision of 111 services. This includes the separation of the current call handling and clinical assessment aspects of the service, with a proposed SEL wide call handling service and the establishment of borough based integrated delivery units that will provide a clinical assessment service for callers alongside other locally integrated care services.<br/><br/>The planned procurement timetable was for the process to commence in January 2025, with the completion of the procurement process and establishment of the new service by April 2026. <br/>The ICB Board met in December 2024 to review progress in preparing for procurement and to determine next steps. The Board recognised and welcomed the significant development work that had been undertaken and considered that from a planning and stakeholder engagement perspective the ICB was ready to procure in January 2025.<br/><br/>However, the Board was mindful of the fact that national guidance around the future commissioning and provision of 111 services is due imminently, alongside the development of a new NHS 10 year plan. The Board recognised the importance of ensuring alignment of SEL’s plans with the strategic direction and requirements set out nationally. For this reason, the Board determined that that ICB should delay its planned procurement pending receipt of the national guidance to enable a full assessment of requirements to be made by the ICB, thereby ensuring a 111 model for the future that is consistent with expected national outcomes. <br/><br/>The Board will be delaying its procurement for one year to enable national guidance to be released and assessed and any required changes to the ICB’s proposals to be made.