Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) on behalf of NHS England
2nd floor, Gail House, Lower Stone Street
Maidstone
ME15 6NB
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ4 - Kent
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.kentandmedway.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Unscheduled Dental Care (UDC) to NHS Kent and Medway ICB
Reference number
WA18294
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85131000 - Dental-practice services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This is an intention to award notice.
Kent and Medway Unscheduled Dental Care (UDC) is an NHS out-of-hours emergency dental service providing urgent care during evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. It offers temporary pain relief and treatment for severe dental issues such as acute pain, trauma, bleeding, or swelling when regular dental practices are closed. Patients must follow up with their own dentist for ongoing care. Access is via telephone triage for advice and appointment booking.
NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) intends to award a contract to an existing provider, Medway Community Health (MCH), following Direct Award Process C of the UK Health Care Services (PSR) Regulations 2023 for UDC services in the Kent and Medway area. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period.
The term of the existing UDC contract is due to expire on 31st March 2026 and NHS Kent and Medway ICB have proposed that new a UDC contract should replace the existing contract at the end of its term. All requirements outlined in Regulation 6(5) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 have been met, including that the considerable change threshold has not been met, and therefore Direct Award Process C has been determined as the appropriate provider selection process.
After conducting assessments of the existing provider, taking into account the key criteria and applying the basic selection criteria, NHS Kent and Medway ICB is content that the existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard.
The awarded contract will be for a term of 36 months and is due to commence from 1st April 2026, terminating 31st March 2029. The total maximum contract value of the contract is £3,821,338.52.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £3,821,338.52
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85130000 - Dental practice and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ4 - Kent
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This transparency notice serves as an intention to award the contract to the existing provider, using Direct Award Process C under PSR.
Kent and Medway Unscheduled Dental Care (UDC) is an NHS out-of-hours emergency dental service providing urgent care during evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. It offers temporary pain relief and treatment for severe dental issues such as acute pain, trauma, bleeding, or swelling when regular dental practices are closed. Patients must follow up with their own dentist for ongoing care. Access is via telephone triage for advice and appointment booking.
The awarded contract will be for a term of 36 months and is due to commence from 1st April 2026, terminating 31st March 2029. The total maximum contract value of the contract is £3,821,338.52.
A 36-month award is proposed - this will allow other providers the opportunity to express an interest to deliver services in the medium term.
The existing service will not change, and the new contract will be based on current clinical standards.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: The existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 2nd February 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
7 December 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Medway Community Health (MCH)
MCH House, Bailey Drive, Gillingham Business Park
Gillingham
ME8 0PZ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ4 - Kent
NHS Organisation Data Service
MCH 8A1
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £3,821,338.52
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Assessment of the existing providers took into account the key criteria, which were weighted as follows:-
• Quality and innovation (20%)
• Value (20%)
• Integration, collaboration and service sustainability (20%)
• Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice (20%)
• Social value (20%)
Each criterion was weighted at 20%. This balanced approach enabled decision makers to make a fair, transparent and holistic judgement of the provider's suitability, ensuring that no single criterion disproportionately influenced the outcome.
Quality and innovation (20%): The commissioned service must be of high quality and performing to expectation. They must demonstrate a commitment to continuous quality improvement and willingness to innovate.
Value (20%): The service must be delivering, or be on track to deliver, an optimal combination of benefits to individuals (patients and workforce), population health outcomes and taxpayers. It must add value across the integrated care system.
Integration, collaboration and service sustainability (20%): The service must operate in a manner which maximises opportunities for integration and collaboration across the ICB area and wider context, across organisational and geographical boundaries. This must be balanced by due consideration of the financial sustainability and stability of the service and its operating model.
Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice (20%): Enhancing patient access and addressing health inequalities and unwarranted variation are priority areas aligned to local population priorities and national ambitions. Promoting patient choice is integral to service delivery.
Social value (20%): The service will contribute to promoting broader impact (to social, economic and environmental wellbeing). It will provide community benefits beyond core service delivery, supporting social cohesion and inclusion.
Each criterion was judged on an assurance basis, arriving at an assessment of either Assured or Not Assured. The requirement was that the provider must be judged Assured on at least three out of five criteria. This threshold reflects a minimum standard of assurance and alignment with NHS priorities.
The ICB judged the existing provider to be Assured across all five key criteria, with none being Not Assured. This outcome reflects a consistently high level of performance, alignment with NHS priorities, and capacity to deliver sustainable, integrated, and socially valuable dental services. The provider is considered suitable for continued or future commissioning under the new contract.
The award decision has been authorised by the Deputy Director Primary Care Commissioning, NHS Kent and Medway ICB.
No conflicts of interest (COI) were declared as part of this award process. COI are managed via a combination of the NHS Kent and Medway ICB COI policy and the NHS England South East Commissioning Hub (Workstream 2) COI process.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and The Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 2nd February 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Written representations should be sent to scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS England
London
Country
United Kingdom