Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) on behalf of NHS England
Sackville House, Brooks Close
Lewes, East Sussex
BN7 2FZ
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/nhs-sussex/
Buyer's address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Unscheduled/Urgent Dental Care (UDC) to NHS Sussex ICB
Reference number
WA18630(ii)
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.
Urgent dental care necessitates the need for simple, rapid access to a dental professional within and outside of normal working hours. Details are set out in the Clinical Standard for Urgent Dental Care (V2) dated 10 January 2023. It states that the difference between emergency, urgent and non-urgent dental need is key as the time in which care should be provided differs between each category. Urgent dental care is defined as one that requires urgent attention but is not a life-threatening situation. It further states urgent dental care is the triage and management of these conditions either within or outside of normal working hours.
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) intends to award contracts to 3 existing providers following Direct Award Process C of the UK Health Care Services (PSR) Regulations 2023 for UDC services in the Sussex 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 terms of the existing UDC contracts are due to expire on 31st March 2026 and NHS Sussex ICB have proposed that new UDC contracts should replace the existing contracts at the end of their 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 providers, taking into account the key criteria and applying the basic selection criteria, NHS Sussex ICB is content that the existing providers are satisfying the original contracts and will likely satisfy the proposed contracts to a sufficient standard.
The awarded contracts will each be for a term of up to 18 months and are due to commence from 1st April 2026, terminating 30th September 2027. The total maximum contract value of these contracts is £3,983,020.
There are 3 contracts being awarded to 3 providers as follows:-
1. UDC for Brighton & Hove - iDental Care Limited
2. UDC for West Sussex - Sussex Community Foundation Trust (SCFT)
3. UDC for East Sussex - East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT)
Section six. Complementary information
six.6) Original notice reference
Notice number: 2026/S 000-006077
Section seven. Changes
seven.1) Information to be changed or added
seven.2) Other additional information
The date of contract award was 13th November 2025, following conclusion of the standstill period after publishing the intention to award notice.
There are 3 contracts being awarded to 3 providers as follows:-
1. UDC for Brighton & Hove - iDental Care Limited. Total maximum value of the contract is £1,220,432.
2. UDC for West Sussex - Sussex Community Foundation Trust (SCFT). Total maximum value of the contract is £1,522,526.
3. UDC for East Sussex - East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT). Total maximum value of the contract is £1,240,062.
The awarded contracts will each be for a term of up to 18 months and are due to commence from 1st April 2026, terminating 30th September 2027. The total maximum contract value of these contracts is £3,983,020.
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 Contracts Regulations 2015 and The Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. This contract has now been formally awarded using direct award process C.