Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Contact
Mark Fordham
hweicbhv.procurementteam@nhs.net
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH23 - Hertfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Hertfordshire Admissions Avoidance Response Car Service
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This notice is to inform the market of NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board's intention to award this contract following a direct award process A to its incumbent supplier, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, to continue to deliver this service within Hertfordshire.
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: £1,240,836
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH23 - Hertfordshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This notice is to inform the market of NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board's contract award following a direct award process A to its incumbent supplier, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, to continue to deliver the Hertfordshire Admittance Avoidance Response Car (HAARC) Service within Hertfordshire.
The HAARC service provides quick access to Advanced Paramedics providing specialist clinical advice and support to Care Homes so that residents only attend hospital if it is clinically necessary. Residents are assessed and treated for minor injuries and illnesses, and management plans are jointly developed with Care Home staff. HAARC staff also facilitate training sessions for Care Home staff in the treatment of minor injuries and illnesses.
The HAARC service currently supports over 150 Care Homes across Dacorum, St Albans and Harpenden, Watford and Three Rivers and Hertsmere. The service also supports several HPFT facilities, Supported Living (previously care homes) where there is no medical cover and limited general nurse cover.
Some the key benefits and outcomes that the HAARC service has achieved include:
• Improved resident experience and outcomes - enabling individuals to remain in their residence and avoid separation from friends and carers, breaking established routines and surroundings.
• Reduction in ambulance conveyancing to A&E from Care Homes.
• Reduction in attendance / admission to acute hospital of Care Home residents.
• Reduction in frequent use of the urgent and emergency service.
• Freeing up capacity in EEAST’s frontline operational resources to focus on higher acuity patients.
• Training has resulted in enhanced competency and support for Care Home staff.
• Reduction in calls to primary care GPs.
• Reduced re-contact rates to 999 and / or other unplanned presentations to healthcare services.
• A&E attendance and hospital admission cost savings.
The contract has been in place with East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust since April 2016 with a cumulative contract value to end March 2024 of £4,349,528.
The contract period is from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026 with a maximum value of the new contract of £620,418 per annum. Should the optional extension for an additional one year be used, the maximum contract value for the 2-year period is £1,240,836.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for a further year from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2027
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: 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
- New works/services, constituting a repetition of existing works/services
Explanation:
No realistic alternative provider/Patient Choice.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
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
22 November 2024
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
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Whiting Way, Melbourn
Cambridgeshire
SG8 6EN
marie.cherry@npag.eastamb.nhs.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,240,836
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,240,836
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) 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 Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.
The business case including the recommendation to award the contract under Provider Selection Regime Process A was approved by the ICB's Strategic Finance & Commissioning Committee on the 22nd November 2024 and there were no recorded or potential conflicts of interest of individuals making the decision declared at this meeting.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Country
United Kingdom