Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS)

This is a Contract Award Notice to communicate a contract award made by the Contracting Authority; Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, (hereinafter referred to as "the Authority") in compliance with their local standing financial instructions (SFIs).

On 29th December 2023, the Authority published a Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency Notice (VEAT) (Reference 2023/S 000-038032) to inform the market of its intention to award the contract. The Authority applied a voluntary 10-day standstill period prior to conclusion of the contract. The contract award is made to East of England NHS Ambulance Trust (EEAST) for the provision of Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) across Hertfordshire and West Essex.

The new contract is intended to start on 1st October 2024 and will be for a period of 1-year, ending on 30th September 2025. Prior to the the incorporation of NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB, the service was provided to each of the Clinical Commissioning Groups under separate contractual arrangements but delivered by the same provider.

The contract has now been consolidated into a single contract under an all inclusive block arrangement. The total cumulative value of all contracts since they started, to 30th September 2024 will be £43,065,760 (exclusive of VAT). Please note that these are expected values and may be amended post contract finalisation with the provider.

The value of the new proposed contract is £9,293,757 (exclusive of VAT).

NHS England has been working to improve NEPTS and as a part of this work, certain regions have been identified as pathfinder areas to test the implementation of the new national framework for NEPTS. The East of England Region is one of those pathfinder areas. EEAST are participating in the second wave of the national pilot for the coordination of NEPTS at both a regional and place-based level to explore how the service can support the regionally agreed clinical model of Access to the Stack, 'Call before you Convey' and Community Hubs.

This work may have implications for the future service model which the new specification should consider. To procure the service at this point would likely mean that a service model is implemented which is not fit for the future and not in line with the national model.

A process will be undertaken prior to the new contract end date to ensure a new contract is in place by 1st October 2025.

Additional information:

NHSE has been working on improving NEPTS and as part of this effort certain regions have been identified as pathfinder areas to test the implementation of the new national framework for NEPTS. Our region, the East of England, is one of the pathfinder areas. East of England NHS Trust (EEAST) are participating in the second wave of the national pilot for the co-ordination of NEPTS, at a regional and place-based level to explore how the service can support the regionally agreed clinical model of Access to the Stack, 'Call before you Convey' and Community Hubs.

This work may have implications for the future service model which the new specification should consider. To procure the service at this point would likely mean that a service model is implemented which is not fit for the future and not in line with the national model.

A process will be undertaken prior to the new contract end date to ensure a new contract is in place by 1st October 2025.