Tender

NQB Effective Safe Staffing Evidence Reviews

  • NHS England

UK4: Tender notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-080520

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05f08f

Published 8 December 2025, 11:36am



Scope

Reference

C404639

Description

NHS England has been commissioned by the National Quality Board (NQB) to oversee the development of a contemporary suite of improvement resources for safer staffing. The programme will update the existing improvement resources and will write brand new safe staffing resources via working groups chaired by strategic influencers and attended by subject matter experts. There are five focuses for this Safe Staffing programme, and they will be split into Lots.

Lot 1: The Children & Young People's Critical Care Services

Lot 2: The Community & District Nursing Services

Lot 3: Operating Theatres

Lot 4: Children & Young People's Community Services

Lot 5: Neonatal Services

Total value (estimated)

  • £95,000 excluding VAT
  • £114,000 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 February 2026 to 31 May 2026
  • 4 months

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 85100000 - Health services

Lot 1. The Children & Young People's Critical Care Services

Description

This evidence review will be to support safe staffing in Children and Young People's Critical Care Services in NHS hospitals. The scope includes both intensive and high dependency care delivered within discrete locations such as Intensive Care Units (ICU), High Dependency Units (HDU) or combined/co-located units. The guidance will focus on critical care service provision at Level 3, though Level 2 will be considered as appropriate.

Lot value (estimated)

  • £19,000 excluding VAT
  • £22,800 including VAT

Same for all lots

CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.


Lot 2. The Community & District Nursing Services

Description

This evidence review will be to support safe staffing in NHS community services and will consider clinical establishment setting, approval and deployment from the team leader of the community service to the board of directors. Community health teams support people with complex health and care needs to live independently for as long as possible. Services are delivered in people's homes, including care homes, but also in community hospitals, intermediate care facilities and clinics.

Lot value (estimated)

  • £19,000 excluding VAT
  • £22,800 including VAT

Same for all lots

CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.


Lot 3. Operating Theatres

Description

This evidence review will be to support safe staffing in Operating Theatres in NHS hospitals in England, including surgical perioperative and postoperative services. It will consider clinical establishment setting, approval and deployment from the multidisciplinary team across surgical and perioperative pathways.

Lot value (estimated)

  • £19,000 excluding VAT
  • £22,800 including VAT

Same for all lots

CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.


Lot 4. Children & Young People's Community Services

Description

This evidence review will be to support safe staffing in NHS children and young people's (CYP) community services and will consider clinical establishment setting, approval and deployment from the team leader of the community service to the board of directors. CYP Community health teams support young people with complex health and care needs to live independently for as long as possible. Scope includes services delivered in people's homes, in community hospitals, intermediate care facilities and clinics.

Lot value (estimated)

  • £19,000 excluding VAT
  • £22,800 including VAT

Same for all lots

CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.


Lot 5. Neonatal Services

Description

This evidence review will be to support safe staffing in NHS neonatal services over the whole pathway of care for newborn babies, ranging from intensive care through to community outreach. Scope includes wherever neonates may also be cared for - i.e. in infant and children's wards areas in specialist children's hospitals or district general hospitals.

Lot value (estimated)

  • £19,000 excluding VAT
  • £22,800 including VAT

Same for all lots

CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.


Participation

Conditions of participation

Lot 1. The Children & Young People's Critical Care Services

Lot 2. The Community & District Nursing Services

Lot 3. Operating Theatres

Lot 4. Children & Young People's Community Services

Lot 5. Neonatal Services

As per instructions in ITT

Particular suitability

Lot 1. The Children & Young People's Critical Care Services

Lot 2. The Community & District Nursing Services

Lot 3. Operating Theatres

Lot 4. Children & Young People's Community Services

Lot 5. Neonatal Services

  • Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
  • Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)

Submission

Enquiry deadline

22 December 2025, 12:00pm

Tender submission deadline

12 January 2026, 12:00pm

Submission address and any special instructions

Tendering portal 'Atamis' used the Contracting Authority for this procurement:

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

User Guide:

https://services.atamis.co.uk/docs/Supplier_User_Guide.pdf

Tenders may be submitted electronically

Yes


Award criteria

Technical 70%, Commercial 20&, Social Value 10%


Procedure

Procedure type

Below threshold - open competition


Contracting authority

NHS England

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDPT-3135-BWWY

Wellington House, 133-135 Waterloo Rd

London

SE1 8UG

United Kingdom

Region: UKI45 - Lambeth

Organisation type: Public authority - central government