Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board
Floor 2, North Wing, 100 Temple Street
BRISTOL
BS1 5AG
scwcsu.scwprocurement.bnssg@nhs.net
Telephone
+44 7747037192
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK11 - Bristol, City of
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
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
General Practice Core Training
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of NHS Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Care Board (ICB) (the Commissioner's), intention to recommission General Practice Core Training. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services.
NHS BNSSG ICB (the Commissioner) is seeking to secure a Prime Provider who has the capability and capacity to deliver Clinical and Non-Clinical general practice core training services, in line with the specified requirements.")
The geographical area is within Bristol North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (as per the BNSSG ICS)
The contract duration is expected to be from 01 June 2025 for a period of 3 years with the option to extend for a further 1 year period.
To best support our general practice and PCN staff it is important the provider has a local presence, knowledge and experience of BNSSG, such that training content matches local operational models and patient service provision needs.
BNSSG general practice face challenges as we all do in the NHS, this may result in practice mergers, closures and PCN changes. The BNSSG Training Hub is contracted to 31/03/26 with a national review currently taking place to consider a 3-year contract from 26/27 to 28/29 (to coincide with this 3+1 contract). Additional funding may be available each year, dependant on national and local allocations and agreement.
The contract value for the initial 3-year period is £630k. If the extension option is exercised the total contract value is £840k.
This exercise is being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £840,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK11 - Bristol, City of
- UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of NHS Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (the Commissioner's), intention to recommission General Practice Core Training. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services, with an providers submitting and Expressions of Interest (EoI) via the e-tender portal.
NHS BNSSG ICB (the Commissioner) is seeking to secure a Prime Provider who has the capability and capacity to deliver General Practice Core Training services, in line with the specified requirements.")
• The geographical area is within Bristol North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (as per the BNSSG ICS)
Outline of services / main requirements:
BNSSG ICS General Practice serves 1m population with 76 practices and 20 PCNs. Key to service delivery is the core training offered to General Practice Nurses (GPNs), Health Care Assistants (HCAs), Additional Role Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) roles and non-clinical staff (NCS), which together form over 50% of general practice staff.
This content of this training is critical to ensure local application/ content to meet the ongoing development needs of staff, and to enable an associated development of patient services, mindful of the ICS plan to reduce health inequalities.
Service requirements:
• To provide a cost effective, value for money service
• To provide an efficient platform and processes for general practice staff (and their line managers) to access, book, amend, cancel, get certification and to review their course bookings (at individual and preferably practice and PCN level)
• Course communication to clearly explain the profession/s and level being provided for (to account for registered/ unregistered staff with various competencies)
• To provide robust and transparent reporting on a quarterly basis by practice, PCN and course, to include sign-up, cancellation, DNA and attendance; participant feedback
• To provide an annual report evaluating service performance with recommendations for improvements.
• Ensure the provider can demonstrate evidence of qualifications that enable them to deliver the training.
• To ensure appropriate quality adherence to the Education and Training Standards and self-assessment, CQC and the Safer Learning Environment Charter.
• Demonstrate knowledge of national, local and BNSSG policies and pathways.
• To provide a mixed training delivery methods to include simulation, pre-recorded, online and face to face training.
• Ensuring face to face training is maximised and provided across all BNSSG localities, particularly for 'softer' skills training and mindful of reasonable adjustments for neurodiversity or specific learning needs such as poor literacy.
• To provider professional, timely and constructive support to practices and PCNs with queries, complaints and feedback to candidates (where their assessments are poor or a cause for concern)
• The contract holder will also be expected to support the Training Hub and ICB with any associated submissions or requests for information or data relating to this programme.
Budgetary requirements:
• The available total funding for this scheme is £840k exclusive of VAT for the 3+1 year duration of contract from the Primary Care NHSE funding allocation for general practice, overseen by BNSSG ICB board.
• The total budget to include delivery, communication materials (hard/ electronic and socials), administration, reporting, evaluation and support to practices and PCNs.
• Outstanding funding resulting from under delivery against target activity will be repaid at the end of the financial year or further services offered as per contract scope and as agreed with commissioners.
Clinical course requirements (to exclude/ not duplicate existing Statutory Mandatory training available to practices):
Training for ANP from ACP framework for advanced nurses in general practice ACP-Primary-Care-Nurse-Fwk-2020.pdf:
• Leadership support
• Evidence based practice
• Assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management and prescribing for conditions including respiratory, cardiovascular, GI and hepatic system, renal and GU, neurological, musculoskeletal, ENT, optical, dermatology, men's health, women's health, family planning and sexual health, mental health, paediatrics, palliative and end of life, pain physiology management and learning disability.
• Medication reviews and medication issues
• Complex and unpredictable care events
• Person centred healthcare needs- alternative modes of consultation
• Managing and quality improvement
• Updates for prescribers
• Interpreting blood results
Training for GPN and HCAs from GPN framework Report template:
• Child and adult Immunisation and vaccination training and updates (including seasonal vaccines)
• Travel health including vaccines and updates
• Wound management (chronic and acute)
• Compression and dopplers
• Health checks
• Ear syringing and updates
• Phlebotomy
• HCA foundation course and updates for non-registered staff (HCA/phlebotomist/Assistant practitioner)
• Management and supervision training
• Chronic disease including multi morbidity with updates including
o Respiratory
o Cardiovascular (AF, stroke, MI, angina, lipids and primary and secondary prevention)
o Diabetes
o CKD
o Dementia
o Learning difficulties
o Contraception and sexual health
o Women's health
• HCA Foundation programme
Training for Mental Health team:
• Risk assessment and risk management training
• HIV and mental health (with local VCSE provider)
• LGBTQ+ inclusion training
Training for AHPs
• Musculoskeletal interface service training
• Male and female examination
• Sleep related issues
Training for (in-house) Practice Pharmacists
• Acute and Long-Term Conditions Management
• Advanced Clinical Assessment & Diagnostics
• Medicines Optimisation & Deprescribing.
For all staff:
• Clinical supervision and Leadership
• Group consultations
• Risk Management
Non-clinical course requirements:
• Summarising
• Coding
• Medical Terminology
• Conflict resolution and de-escalation
• Practice management and leadership
• Practice administration
• Practice reception
• Customer Service skills
• Dealing with challenging people
• Chaperone
• Care Navigation/ Triage
• Conducting appraisals
• Prescription clerk training
• People Management
• HR policy & legislation
• Emotional Resilience and Stress Management
• Understanding investigations and prescriptions
• The contract duration is expected to be from 01 June 2025 for a period of 3 years with the option to extend for a further 1-year period
• To best support our general practice and PCN staff it is important the provider has a local presence, knowledge and experience of BNSSG such that training content matches local operational models and patient service provision needs.
• BNSSG general practice face challenges as we all do in the NHS, this may result in practice mergers, closures and PCN changes. The BNSSG Training Hub is contracted to 31/03/26 with a national review currently taking place to consider a 3-year contract from 26/27 to 28/29 (to coincide with this 3+1 contract). Additional funding may be available each year, dependant on national and local allocations and agreement.
• The contract value for the initial 3-year period is £630k. If the extension option is exercised the total contract value is £840k.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 June 2025
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Authority or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Authority will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.
Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.
Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access to the relevant information and market engagement questionnaire, you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.
You will find the project titled: BNSSG ICB -General Practice Core Training with the Atamis C339145
This notice will be valid from 13th Feb 2025 until 4th March 2025
If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and to be able to submit your expression of interest for the market engagement event using the correspondence function within Atamis.
Any future tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.