Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS SURREY HEARTLANDS INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
Dukes Court, Duke Street
Woking
GU215BH
Contact
Maggie Czapiewska
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ26 - East Surrey
NHS Organisation Data Service
QXU
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.surreyheartlands.org/nhs-surrey-heartlands-board
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
Talking Therapies
Reference number
Talking Therapies - 1.11.25 - Centre for Psychology
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The NHS Talking Therapies service is a community-based service that aims to improve access to evidence-based psychological therapies for common mental health problems. The service offers a variety of evidence-based clinical interventions (including self-help options) including, but not limited to
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Counselling
• Brief Psychodynamic Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapies
• EDMR
• Mindfulness
The service has been a key priority for many years as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan and the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and continues to be one of the mental health priorities in NHS England 2025/26 Operating Plan.
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: £1,309,662
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ26 - East Surrey
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The NHS Talking Therapies service is a community-based service that aims to improve access to evidence-based psychological therapies for common mental health problems.
The service offers a variety of evidence-based clinical interventions (including self-help options) including, but not limited to
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Counselling
• Brief Psychodynamic Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapies
• EDMR
• Mindfulness
The service will be available to all adults over the age of 17 registered with a General Practitioner within Surrey ICBs (with the exception of NE Hampshire & Farnham Place), experiencing mental distress in relation to common mental health problems. This service has been a key priority for many years as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan and the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and continues to be one of the mental health priorities in NHS England 2025/26 Operating Plan.
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 and the Procurement Act Regulations 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 the relevant authority by 26 September 2025. 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
15 September 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
Centre for Psychology
26A Chertsey Street
Guildford
GU1 4HD
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ26 - East Surrey
Companies House
06841938
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,309,662
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Awarding Authority confirms the provider is delivering the contract to a consistently high standard and no material changes have been made in the continued contracting arrangement.
Against the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Key Criteria, the provider has demonstrated expertise and is anticipated to continue doing so. Evidence of current service delivery against the PSR Key Criteria and the breakdown of Key Criteria weighting in relation to this service for the purposes of awarding a further contract under Direct Award C is detailed below:
Quality and innovation 20%
Quality
• Wide range of evidence-based treatments (1:1 therapy, CBT session, counselling for long term conditions) delivered holistically and tailored to individual needs.
• Positive patient outcomes demonstrated through improvements in PHQ-2 and GAD-7 scores.
• Regular KPI reporting at quarterly CRMs with ICB ensures accountability and performance monitoring.
Innovation
• Shared waiting list across Healthy Surrey and Connect to Surrey improves access, reduces wait times, enhances transparency and prevents symptom escalation.
• Flexible blended delivery model (face-to-face, virtual, combined) tailored to individual circumstances (work, caregiving, travel), supporting accessibility and sustained engagement.
Integration, collaboration and service sustainability 20%
• Talking Therapies provision in Surrey aligns with national priorities and contributes to NHS England assurance targets.
• Talking Therapies providers meet quarterly to:
o Share knowledge and best practices.
o Troubleshoot common issues.
o Ensure equitable allocation of trainees across the five providers.
• Centre for Psychology collaborates with Employment Support service (Waythrough) which is important to psychological well-being for many people and with Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) to offer individuals who have suffered sexual assault Integrative Psychotherapy, which draws on techniques from CBT, counselling and more.
• The provider works in partnership with physical health services to deliver Talking Therapies for individuals with long-term conditions.
• Shared online waiting list with other Talking Therapies providers is available via Healthy Surrey and Connect to Surrey, enabling individuals to make informed choices about their care.
• Talking Therapies providers collaborate with local employment support services, including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), to help individuals remain in or return to employment.
Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice 30%
• Self-referral and clinician/GP-led pathways ensure equitable access across Surrey, helping to reduce health inequalities.
• Ongoing demographic reporting supports monitoring and informed decision-making to address disparities.
• Providers actively engage with hard-to-reach and underrepresented communities to raise awareness and improve access.
• Contractual requirements include provision of translation and interpretation services where needed.
• Five talking therapies providers offer a range of service models, enabling individuals to choose care that suits their clinical needs, personal schedules, and work commitments.
• A shared online waiting list is available via Healthy Surrey and Connect to Surrey, supporting informed patient choice and transparency.
• Diverse service models across the five providers enhance accessibility and patient-centred care.
• Centre for Psychology exceeds national access targets, with 96.6% of patients seen within six weeks (against a 75% target).
• These approaches collectively support patient choice, improve visibility of service options and wait times, and empower individuals to select the most appropriate treatment pathway.
Value 20%
• Provides a safe, supportive space enabling patients to understand emotions, build coping strategies, and improve overall wellbeing.
• Supports management of long-term conditions, job retention, mental health improvement, behaviour change, and the development of healthier habits.
• Centre for Psychology demonstrates clinical effectiveness through consistent improvements on PHQ and GAD scales, monitored monthly.
• Achieves strong outcomes:
o Reliable recovery of 41.4% (national target: 48%),
o Reliable improvement of 62.6% (national target: 67%),
o Improved access for older adults, with 56% recovery and 89% improvement in the 75-89 age group.
• Tariff rate is lower than other providers in the South East region, offering strong value for money while maintaining national target delivery.
• Talking Therapies are a key priority both nationally and locally, reinforcing strategic alignment.
• Transparent waitlist visibility and diverse service options enhance patient choice and support informed decision-making.
Social value 10%
• The service supports individuals to return to or remain in employment, promoting economic participation and personal stability.
• Talking Therapies help reduce social isolation and address mental health challenges, including those linked to physical health conditions, anxiety, and depression.
• The service promotes meaningful relationships and community engagement, contributing to wider social value.
• These outcomes enable individuals to participate more fully in society, both socially and economically.
• A wide range of local providers reduces the need for long-distance travel, lowering patient carbon emissions and supporting environmental sustainability.
Governance and Decision-Making Approval:
Talking Therapies working Group - 11 June 2025
Commissioning, Contracting and Commercial Committee - 15 July 2025
Conflicts of Interest:
No conflicts of interest identified.
Standstill Period and Regulatory Context:
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 Regulations 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 26 September 2025. 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 robert.kitt1@nhs.net
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB
Woking
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHS England
Skipton House, 80 London Road
London
SE1 6LH
Country
United Kingdom