Scope
Reference
C390348
Description
NHS England Health and Justice South West (The Commissioner) intends to commission Lived Experience Services across the South West male prison estate and would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services.
The contribution of service users who have first-hand experience of using the healthcare services within prisons is essential to the delivery of effective services and in informing the commissioning process.
NHS England have a statutory duty, under Section 13Q of the Health and Social Care Act 2006 to involve and listen to the voice of those with lived experience in the design, delivery and ongoing performance of our commissioned health services.
To support NHS England Health and Justice South West in meeting these obligations, the aims of the Lived Experience service are:
• To enable all service users to effectively contribute to the continuous improvement of NHS England Health and Justice South West commissioned healthcare services in prisons, as well as being supported to have an independent voice, through various forms of engagement and regular feedback to the prison, the healthcare providers and commissioners.
• To enable commissioners to receive clearly the voice of their service users to inform decision-making in relation to healthcare provision.
• To help ensure outcomes for patients in the Health and Justice system are equivalent to those in the wider community.
The service will be expected to develop a range of appropriate opportunities and activities that engage service users and support their ability to contribute their experience of commissioned healthcare services. This will be through a variety of methods developed to facilitate and deliver meaningful activity.
This service must maintain independence of service activity from commissioners, health care providers and the prison in order to have the ability to act as an independent and critical friend.
The following establishments likely to be in scope, and likely Lots, are:
• (Lot 1): Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (BSGW) prisons - HMP Ashfield, HMP Bristol, HMP Erlestoke and HMP Leyhill
• (Lot 2): Devon prisons - HMP Channings Wood and HMP Exeter
• (Lot 3): Dorset prisons - HMP Guys Marsh, HMP Portland and HMP The Verne
It is anticipated that the contracts will commence on 1st September 2026 for an initial period of 2 years with the option to extend for a further period up to 30th September 2029, at the sole discretion of the Commissioner.
The Commissioner has an indicative budget of £13,500 (exclusive of VAT) per prison per annum, which equates to the following indicative annual contract values for each Lot:
• BSGW - £54,000
• Devon - £27,000
• Dorset - £40,500
It is expected that the procurement process to award the contracts will commence February 2026.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
- Possible extension to 30 September 2029
- 3 years, 1 month
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 75122000 - Administrative healthcare services
Contract locations
- UKK - South West (England)
Engagement
Engagement deadline
3 December 2025
Engagement process description
At this time, the Commissioner would like to determine the level of provider interest in delivering these services and warmly invites interested parties to attend a market engagement event, held virtually through Microsoft Teams on the following date:
11:00 am - 12:30 pm, Tuesday 9th December 2025.
To allow potential providers to reflect and provide feedback on the proposed services, the Commissioner has provided the draft service specification as part of this notice , as well as a market engagement questionnaire for potential providers to respond to, prior to the event.
At the event, we will share further detail of the commissioner's objectives and commissioning strategy for the service.
To access the draft service specification and express an interest in attending the market engagement event, interested providers should follow the link to the e-procurement system, Atamis, search for the opportunity by clicking on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, then complete the 'Market Engagement Questionnaire & Event Registration' Microsoft (MS) Forms available within the system.
Please note that you will need to be registered on Atamis, and then select the option to 'register an interest' under the project titled 'Lived Experience Services across the South West Prison Estate - Market Engagement', project reference C390348 to gain full access to the draft service specification and the link to the MS Forms questionnaire.
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
In order to attend the event, please ensure that you submit a completed MS Forms questionnaire by no later than 12 Noon on Wednesday 3rd December 2025. Details on how to access the event will be provided to all respondents who have registered their interest by completing the questionnaire / registration form prior to this closing date.
In order to establish fair representation, availability for this event is limited to a maximum of three individuals per organisation.
Providers are reminded that the service specification provided in Atamis at this stage is an indicative draft version only and subject to change. Providers should not rely upon this document when submitting any future bids, instead referring to the tender documentation released with the relevant tender opportunity.
This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.
This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Authority or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Contracting Authority is looking to establish what interest there might be in providing such a service from suitably qualified, capable and competent organisations.
The Contracting Authority will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. Interested parties should note that a response to this notice does not guarantee an automatic invitation to any subsequent formal procurement, which the commissioners will consider in due course.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
2 February 2026
Contracting authority
NHS ENGLAND
- NHS Organisation Data Service: X24
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDPT-3135-BWWY
NHS England, 7&8 Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1 4AP
United Kingdom
Region: UKE42 - Leeds
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Other organisation
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
NHS South Central and West CSU
Summary of their role in this procurement: This engagement exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.
- NHS Organisation Data Service: 0DF
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXTZ-5316-XWPW
Omega House, 112 Southampton Road
Eastleigh
SO50 5PB
United Kingdom
Email: scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net
Website: https://www.scwcsu.nhs.uk/
Region: UKJ35 - South Hampshire