Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS SUFFOLK AND NORTH EAST ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
Endeavour House, Russell Road
Ipswich
IP12BX
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH14 - Suffolk
NHS Organisation Data Service
QJG
Internet address(es)
Main address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Specialist Medicines Service
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The service aims to support the responsive and effective supply of essential medication for Palliative and End of Life Care (PEoLC) and the treatment of Clostridioides difficile (also known as Clostridium difficile, C. difficile or C. diff). This is a type of bacteria that can cause diarrhoea. The demand for palliative care treatments and the relevant antibiotics, vancomycin or fidaxomicin, may be urgent and/or unpredictable. The service will operate during all normal opening hours for the community pharmacy and/or any locally commissioned extended hours e.g., Public/Bank holiday rota. The pharmacy contractor(s) (provider) will stock minimum stock levels of a locally agreed list of drugs and will make a commitment to ensure those users of this service have prompt access to these medicines. The pharmacy will provide information and advice to the user, carer and clinician as required. Pharmacy teams should refer to the joint Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)/Marie Curie UK Quality Improvement (Daffodil) Standards for support in continual improvement of their palliative and end of life care arrangements. They may also refer to the specialist palliative care advice lines at the local hospices within SNEE. The pharmacy will maintain stocks of the specified list of medicines required to deliver this service and will dispense these in response to NHS prescriptions presented. The stock levels may be requested where there have been reports of failure to hold minimum stocks. The pharmacy will be expected to hold the minimum stock level unless there is evidence of drugs being dispensed and awaiting stock replenishment. The pharmacy will be expected to report stock levels on a quarterly basis and will receive remuneration for each report submitted. Providers should seek to maintain adequate stocks of medication in line with local demand and in anticipation of reduced wholesaler deliveries, e.g., weekends, bank holiday periods.
Section six. Complementary information
six.6) Original notice reference
Notice number: 2025/S 000-070921
Section seven. Changes
seven.1) Information to be changed or added
seven.2) Other additional information
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 Contract Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.
This contract has now been formally awarded using direct award process C
Contract award date: 4th November 2025
The dates between which the services are intended to be provided are: 1st November 2025 to 31st March 2026
Lifetime value of the contract is anticipated to be: £5,500.50 excluding VAT
There was no review during the standstill period.