Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS CHESHIRE AND MERSEYSIDE INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
1 Lakeside, 920 Centre Park
Warrington
WA1 1QY
Contact
Claire Tyghe
claire.tyghe@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKD71 - East Merseyside
NHS Organisation Data Service
QYG
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.cheshireandmerseyside.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
Specialist Paediatric Speech & Language Therapy in Halton
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Specialist Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service in Halton.
The service will be delivered to all children up to their 19th birthday (26th birthday with a statement of special educational needs) who are resident in Halton and registered with a local GP or those not registered with a GP but resident in the borough, e.g. traveller families.
Undertake assessment of need, including provision of specialist speech and language advice to Section G as part of the development of EHCPs and annual reviews, in line with prescribed timeframes.
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: £248,609
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD71 - East Merseyside
Main site or place of performance
Halton place
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB - Halton Place have awarded a 6 month contract to the current provider of this service on the ground of urgency to deliver specialist paediatric speech and language therapy services in Halton Place (to note - this service was previously contracted via a Local Authority led arrangement).
This urgent award is considered as the only feasible option utilising a known provider, whilst a new provider is able to mobilise the new service being transferred to them under a longer term contract.
The contract commenced on 10th November 2025 and will expire no later than 10th May 2026. The contract value is £248,609.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: To address an immediate risk to safety and quality of care / 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
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) contract award notice on the grounds of Urgency. 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 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: No
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
25-26-QYG-Communicate SF V1
Title
Specialist Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service in Halton
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
4 November 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
Communicate Speech & Language Services
Lancaster House, Amy Johnson Way
Blackpool
FY24 2RP
Telephone
+44 1253462123
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKD71 - East Merseyside
Companies House
08398194
Internet address
https://communicate-slt.org.uk
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £248,609
Total value of the contract/lot: £248,609
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). This contract has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.
On the 4th November 2025, Andrea McGee, ICB Interim Director of Finance approved this decision and no conflicts of interest were declared.
The existing CYP SLT contract expired on 29th October 2025 and the new service provider was not in a position to transfer and mobile the service by that date.
The ICB has a statutory responsibility for ensuring the provision of specialist SALT services for its registered population. For many, an inability to access this service will impact on their development, for some this could be significant and cause long-term harm. For CYP with dysphagia, no service has significant potential to result in significant harm.
Therefore, the ICB agreed to enter into a short-term contract with the outgoing provider to ensure ongoing provision whilst the required due diligence and transfer preparations are concluded by the new provider.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS CHESHIRE AND MERSEYSIDEINTEGRATED CARE BOARD
1 Lakeside, 920 Centre Park
Warrington
WA1 1QY
Country
United Kingdom