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
Adult Hearing Services - Surrey Downs
Reference number
Adult Hearing Aid Services 2024-2026 - Specsavers Hearcare Ltd
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85121240 - ENT or audiologist services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
A community-based Adult Hearing Service including Assessment, fitting of hearing aids, and aftercare care for Surrey Downs Place.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £713,000 / Highest offer: £927,000 taken into consideration
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ26 - East Surrey
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of a community-based Adult Hearing Aid Service from a number of sites in Surrey Downs. Providing increased choice and control for service users as to where and when their treatment is delivered - providing on-going care closer to home.
Provision of timely access to hearing aid assessment and a range of support services including hearing aid fitting, follow-up and on-going aftercare.
Surrey Heartlands ICB has awarded a contract to Specsavers Hearcare Ltd under Direct Award C.
The approximate lifetime value of the contract will be £927,000 over the two year term, from 1st April 2024 until 31st March 2026.
This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.
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) contract 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.
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
31 March 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
Specsavers Hearcare Group Ltd
La Villiaze
St Andrews
GY6 8YP
Country
Guernsey
NUTS code
- GG - Guernsey
Guernsey Registry
35965
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £927,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This contract is awarded via Direct Award Process C, in accordance with The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (PSR).
The authority confirms the provider delivers the contract to a consistently high standard and no material changes have been made in this contracting arrangement.
The provider's consistently strong performance and system alignment supports commissioning of their service via Direct Award C.
Against the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Key Criteria, Specsavers Hearcare Group Ltd 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 contract under Direct Award C is detailed below:
Quality & Innovation (25%)
• Specsavers delivers a safe, high-quality, and effective direct access to adult hear aid service, with oversight maintained through a robust clinical governance framework.
• The service is available to all patients who are registered with GP practices in NHS Surrey Downs Place. Eligible patients can be referred by their GP or self-refer.
• Services are provided from Epsom, Leatherhead, Banstead and Dorking to enable local access to hearing aid services.
• Innovation is embedded in Specsavers approach through improved access to diagnostic tests provided in the community as part of the drive to reduce hospital waiting times and to improve patient choice.
• Specsavers continues to develop relationships with other Providers, including third sector organisations that support service users, and with local involvement networks e.g. Health Watch.
Value (25%)
• Specsavers Hearcare delivers demonstrable value for money by providing Hearing Aid services more economically and closer to the patient. (when compared to costs in secondary care). This reduces secondary care outpatient follow-ups, supporting the ICB in achieving system savings and better use of specialist resources.
• The Hearcare service ensures timely patient follow-up, leading to quicker clinical decisions, including reducing the number of follow-up appointments and improving patient flow.
• The Provider is responsible for the purchase, provision and replacement of batteries to NHS service users, delivering stable unit costs while maintaining high-quality care and system benefits reinforcing its value as a trusted partner.
Integration, Collaboration & Sustainability (25%)
• Specsavers operates a service that is fully integrated within Surrey Downs' community and primary care pathways engaging regularly with local system partners including GPs to ensure the service reflects changing population needs and demand pressures. This supports sustainable models of care and system resilience, especially during peak elective recovery periods.
• Specsavers Hearcare meets both the NHS outcomes framework indicators and locally defined outcomes.
• The service provides a safe, convenient and accessible option for patients, enhancing quality of life for people with long term conditions, treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.
• The service provides an increased choice of appointment times/dates for patients; service users are able to access aftercare services (face to face or non-face to face methods).
• A postal repair service is available.
• Specsavers Hearcare provides clear guidance and information for service users and their families about the important role of hearing.
• By delivering care in community settings, Specsavers contributes to the ICB's sustainability agenda by reducing reliance on high-cost acute services and supporting the NHS's Net Zero commitments through reduced patient travel and emissions.
• The Provider is involved in local care pathway work and discussions, ensuring the best and most efficient means of treating patients are adopted, including movement of relevant clinical information between primary and community care providers GPs, primary health care teams, ear nose & throat (ENT) departments, audio-vestibular medicine (AVM) audiology departments, local authority social services, the voluntary & community sector and independent providers.
Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice 15%
• Approximately nine million adults in England have some form of hearing loss - the equivalent of one in six people. Most are older people who have a progressive hearing loss as part of the ageing process, with more than 70 percent of over 70-year-olds and more than 40 percent of over 50-year-olds having some form of hearing loss. It is estimated there will be 13 million people in England with hearing loss by 2035.
• Specsavers Hearcare service enhances access to adult hearing aid care by providing appointments locally, including flexible scheduling options, reduced waiting times, and easier accessibility for patients who may experience barriers to attending hospital-based services
• This community model ensures an equitable service offer, supporting underserved patient cohorts including older adults, those with long-term conditions, or those in rural or transport-challenged areas. The service offers choice and convenience, contributing to better engagement and earlier identification of progression risks.
• By diverting appropriate patients from secondary care, Specsavers will enable those with complex needs to be seen more quickly by acute services, thereby reducing inequality in waiting times and improving system-wide equity.
Social Value (10%)
• Specsavers delivery of a community-based Adult Hearing Aid Service contributes significantly to social value in alignment with NHS England's Social Value Model and the ICB's commitment to community-based, patient-centred care.
• The service offers improved local access to adult hearing aid services, reducing the need for hospital visits and associated patient travel, which lowers carbon emissions and supports environmental sustainability.
• Appointments delivered within the community enable earlier interventions and better long-term health outcomes for patients, particularly those with mobility challenges or in underserved areas. This aligns with NHS goals to reduce health inequalities and promote fairer access
• Specsavers recruits, trains, and retains local staff, contributing to employment, skill development, and economic sustainability within the Surrey Downs area.
• The organisation also fosters collaboration with local primary care services and integrates care pathways to reduce demand on acute settings. This supports the broader system's resilience and encourages partnership working across the ICS.
• Specsavers undertakes communication activity to improve prevention, focusing on education and information to improve prevention, awareness and early diagnosis of hearing loss, promoting the use of hearing aids, hearing loss management and reducing the stigma related to having a hearing loss.
• Through regular patient feedback, Specsavers shapes the service to meet community needs, enhancing patient experience and empowerment. Their person-centred approach helps address wider determinants of health while ensuring care is safe, timely, and effective.
Governance and Decision-Making
Approval:
NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB Commissioning, Contracting & Commercial (CCC) Committee Executive Board
Conflicts of Interest:
No conflicts of interest were declared.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) contract 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.
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
NHSE
Skipton House, 80 London Road
London
SE1 6LH
Country
United Kingdom