Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS SUSSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
Sackville House, Brooks Close
Lewes
BN72FZ
Contact
Maggie Czapiewska
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
NHS Organisation Data Service
QNX
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/
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
Community Pharmacy Locally Commissioned Service for Emergency Palliative Care Drugs
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85149000 - Pharmacy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has recommissioned the Community Pharmacy Locally Commissioned Service for Emergency Palliative Care Drugs to support people with palliative and end of life care needs access to medication in an emergency.
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: £190,513
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ21 - Brighton and Hove
- UKJ22 - East Sussex CC
- UKJ27 - West Sussex (South West)
- UKJ28 - West Sussex (North East)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Intention to Award Notice following the conclusion of a Competitive Process to appoint providers to deliver the Community Pharmacy Emergency Palliative Care Drugs Locally Commissioned Service on behalf of NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB), subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
The publication of this notice marks the commencement of the standstill period. Any representations in relation to this notice must be made to decisions makers by midnight on 30/10/2025.
Any written representations should be sent to robert.kitt1@nhs.net.
This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an Intention to Award Notice under PSR 2023, to inform the market of the intention to award a contract, as a result of a Competitive Process.
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has recommissioned the Community Pharmacy Locally Commissioned Service for Emergency Palliative Care Drugs to support people with palliative and end of life care needs access to medication in an emergency.
The ICB is seeking providers to hold a locally agreed range and minimum quantity of emergency palliative care drugs (based on the Sussex palliative and end of life care prescribing guidance) with a commitment to ensure that users of this service have prompt access to these medicines during the pharmacy's regular core and supplementary hours.
NHS Sussex ICB intends to award the contract to 72 pharmacies within East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove following a Competitive Process.
The approximate lifetime value of the contract across the 29-month period from 1 November 2025 - 31 March 2028 will be £190,513.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: The contract award criteria are specified in the procurement documents / 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 2023 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice.
Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by midnight on 30/10/2025.
Any written representations should be sent to robert.kitt1@nhs.net.
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
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-049273
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
1 August 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 127
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
72 pharmacies
Various
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
NHS Organisation Data Service
Various
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £190,513
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
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 2023 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice.
Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by midnight on 30/10/2025.
This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Any written representations should be sent to robert.kitt1@nhs.net.
The NHS SCW procurement team supported Commissioners in the management of conflicts of interest throughout the process. Project members were required to complete Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Undertaking forms prior to receiving any sensitive documentation or being involved in any discussions in relation to the procurement.
Prior to commencement of the Evaluation stage, two conflicts of interest were declared by a member of NHS Sussex ICB, and by a member of a Local Pharmaceutical Committee. Both conflicts were mitigated with no impact on the procurement process.
The award decision makers are NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB)
An expression of interest (EOI) exercise was undertaken to procure this service. Compliant EOIs were reviewed based on the criteria listed below so that the provision of the service is evenly distributed across the geographical area with sufficient access for service users.
The following factors were used in priority order for all applicants in each Primary Care Network (PCN) footprint when awarding contracts:
1. Number of days per week pharmacy is open (highest number of opening days given priority within a Primary Care Network footprint
2. Opening hours per week (highest total weekly hours given priority within a PCN footprint)
3. If bidders for this contract match each other on the above criteria:
• Where >1 pharmacy is required in a PCN, their proximity to an awarded contractor within their PCN will be used as a deciding factor (furthest distance is given priority).
• Where only 1 pharmacy is needed in a PCN, their proximity to an awarded contractor in their neighbouring PCN(s) will be used as a deciding factor (further distance is given priority).
Following the EOI process, 72 pharmacies were accepted by the Commissioner to deliver this service:
• Arlington Road Pharmacy - FVM25 - Eastbourne - £1,094.90
• Glyn Norris Pharmacy - FD172 - Arun - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FER70 - Arun - £1,094.90
• Tesco Pharmacy - FEV35 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FJV00 - Arun - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FKF86 - Arun - £1,094.90
• Little Common Pharmacy - FCM81 - Bexhill - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FFC93 - Bexhill - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FRV64 - Bexhill - £1,094.90
• Jordans Pharmacy - FHG77 - Bognor Regis - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FJV66 - Bognor Regis - £1,094.90
• Bognor Regis Pharmacy - FP531 - Bognor Regis - £1,094.90
• Dexter's Pharmacy - FWD07 - Bognor Regis - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FTV55 - Burgess Hill - £1,094.90
• S C Williams Pharmacy - FYX44 - Burgess Hill - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FEV02 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FMW35 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Pyramid Pharmacy - FMW89 - Horsham - £1,094.90
• Paydens Pharmacy - FTY98 - Horsham - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FGC12 - Chichester - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FTG79 - Chichester - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FCY75 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FLC19 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FQM12 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Asda Pharmacy - FJ575 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FAL02 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FNN61 - Worthing - £1,094.90
• Asda Pharmacy - FJ327 - Crawley - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FCL23 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FCQ88 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Asda Pharmacy - FA342 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FRR58 - East Grinstead - £1,094.90
• Asda Pharmacy - FJK61 - Eastbourne - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FPA95 - Eastbourne - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FL244 - Eastbourne - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FX749 - Eastbourne - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FQC51 - Lewes - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FR198 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Tesco Pharmacy - FH723 - Uckfield - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FEH23 - Hailsham - £1,094.90
• Paydens Pharmacy - FHJ23 - Hailsham - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FJ416 - Hailsham - £1,094.90
• Pharmacy @ Station Plaza - FH594 - Hastings - £1,094.90
• Asda Pharmacy - FV050 - Hastings - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FQL56 - Haywards Heath - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FAW68 - Haywards Heath - £1,094.90
• Selbys Pharmacy - FGP96 - Haywards Heath - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FDQ95 - Crawley - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FXM67 - Crawley - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FP954 - Crowborough - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FFF02 - Lancing - £1,094.90
• Asda Pharmacy - FA088 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FTM51 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FY060 - Horsham - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FHG58 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FRT09 - Bognor Regis - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FVA18 - Bognor Regis - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FP387 - Chichester - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FTH80 - Horsham - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FEM25 - Rye- £1,094.90
• Seaford Pharmacy - FJG00 - Lewes - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FQY87 - Lewes - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FEF75 - Shoreham - £1,094.90
• Tesco Pharmacy - FTE40 - Shoreham - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FMX53 - Crawley - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FQ107 - Crawley - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FPD84 - Lewes - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FQ577 - Lewes - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FTQ44 - Eastbourne - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FLA61 - Eastbourne - £1,094.90
• Boots the Chemists - FAA02 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
• Kamsons Pharmacy - FJD49 - Brighton and Hove - £1,094.90
The reason for the decision makers' intention to award to the successful bidders named, is that they achieved the highest compliant bid score in relation to the set criteria.
The procurement process has been conducted robustly in accordance with best practice and the principles of transparency, proportionality and fairness.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Sussex ICB
Lewes
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHSE
Skipton House, 80 London Road
London
SE1 6LH
Country
United Kingdom