Health Visitor Service (Midlands)

Description

NHS England are seeking a provider via the Most Suitable Provider process under the Health Care Services(Provider Selection Regime)Regulations 2023 to enhance the current Routine Childhood Immunisation uptake for 0-5 years.<br/><br/>In accordance with Regulation 10 of The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023,NHS England (Midlands) (known hereafter as the Relevant Authority) is looking to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider process as the Relevant Authority is able to identify the most suitable provider without running a competitive exercise, for the provision of Health Visitor Services.<br/><br/>This notice will be published for at least 14 days in line with best practice under the Provider Selection Regime 2023, allowing time for any enquiries to be considered. The notice will close 11th December 2025 at 16:00 hrs. Lot 1: East Midlands NHS England are seeking a provider via the Most Suitable Provider process under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 to enhance the current Routine Childhood Immunisation uptake for 0-5 years.<br/><br/>Description of Service and Initiative:<br/><br/>The NHS England National team has allocated funding to the NHSE Midlands Regional team for a Specialist Immunisation Health Visitor pathfinding pilot in the Nottingham City and Sandwell Local Authority. These areas have been chosen due to their notably low levels of pre-school vaccination uptake combined with high levels of deprivation.<br/><br/>The Health and Social Care Act 2012 sets out a Local Authority’s statutory responsibility for commissioning public health services for children and young people aged 0 to 19 years. This includes the requirement for LAs to commission 0 to 5 years Health Visitor services.<br/><br/>To deliver the pilot the successful providers MUST currently be delivering a Health Visitor Service within the designated localities.<br/><br/>This initiative aims to increase the uptake of routine childhood immunisations within underserved communities in Nottingham City and Sandwell. It will embed immunisation support into the core Health Visiting programme, taking a proactive approach to engage families who are not currently accessing mainstream services, with children aged 0–5 years, who have overdue or incomplete vaccination records.<br/><br/>In 2023/24 coverage decreased between 0.1% and 1.0% for all of the14 vaccine coverage measures reported compared with the previous year, and none of the childhood vaccines met the national 95% uptake target.<br/><br/>It is recognised that increasing access through a supplementary core service offer in addition to the GP contract should be of benefit to support increasing uptake, particularly in areas where the GP offer is not being utilised. Health Visitors are well placed to deliver this supplementary offer:<br/><br/>• They are a key point of contact with health services for parents and guardians with babies and young children aged 0 to 5.<br/>• Already offer advice and support to parents and guardians regarding immunisations for babies and young children as part of their core service<br/>• Deliver services in a range of settings, including families’ own homes, local community or primary care settings.<br/>• All immunisations routinely delivered to babies and pre-school aged children(aged 0 to five) will be in scope for delivery by Health Visitors.<br/>• Immunisations to school-aged children (five years plus) will remain out of scope, this includes vaccinating school aged siblings whilst in a domiciliary / other community setting.<br/>• Vaccinations for those aged 5 years plus are out of scope of this programme, there is an opportunity to signpost for vaccinations for older children as part of this work<br/>• Supply ordering and delivery mechanisms will be agreed locally; and local arrangements made for receipt and storage of vaccine.<br/>• Vaccine recording mechanisms /access to IT systems will be agreed locally.<br/><br/>The programme aims to complement and —not duplicate or override—ongoing local efforts to improve access to vaccinations for children and young people. It serves as an opportunity to strengthen and build upon existing initiatives.<br/><br/>NHS England Midlands is now intending to award a contract to the Most Suitable Provider to deliver the service which achieves the above objectives.<br/><br/>The contract will be for a period of 9 months from 01st February 2026 to 31st October 2026. The pilot may be extended to the end of the financial year subject to confirmation from the Commissioner and additional national funding being made available. The value of the proposed contract is East Midlands (Nottingham City) £141,628 for 9 months and West Midlands (Sandwell) £72,634 for 9 months.<br/><br/>A copy of the service specification can be found within the project on Atamis.<br/>Interested providers should formally register their interest via Atamis no later than midnight on 11 December 2025. Additional information: The Contracting Authority will be using an eTendering system for this procurement exercise. To view the specification and/or express an interest in this MSP please visit the 'Live Opportunities' list on the e-tendering system at the following link:<br/><br/>https://atamis-1928.my.salesforce-sites.com/?SearchType=Projects<br/><br/>You can also register your interest via this page. You can search for the opportunity by entering the following contract reference: C402443 – Health Visitor Service.<br/><br/>Details of award decision makers:<br/>The decision will be made by Vaccine Governance Group. Lot 2: West Midlands NHS England are seeking a provider via the Most Suitable Provider process under the Health Care Services(Provider Selection Regime)Regulations 2023 to enhance the current Routine Childhood Immunisation uptake for 0-5 years.<br/><br/>Description of Service and Initiative:<br/><br/>The NHS England National team has allocated funding to the NHSE Midlands Regional team for a Specialist Immunisation Health Visitor pathfinding pilot in the Nottingham City and Sandwell Local Authority. These areas have been chosen due to their notably low levels of pre-school vaccination uptake combined with high levels of deprivation.<br/><br/>The Health and Social Care Act 2012sets out a Local Authority’s statutory responsibility for commissioning public health services for children and young people aged 0 to 19 years. This includes the requirement for LAs to commission 0 to 5 years Health Visitor services.<br/><br/>To deliver the pilot the successful providers MUST currently be delivering a Health Visitor Service within the designated localities.<br/><br/>This initiative aims to increase the uptake of routine childhood immunisations within underserved communities in Nottingham City and Sandwell. It will embed immunisation support into the core Health Visiting programme, taking a proactive approach to engage families who are not currently accessing mainstream services, with children aged 0–5 years, who have overdue or incomplete vaccination records.<br/><br/>In 2023/24 coverage decreased between 0.1% and 1.0% for all of the14 vaccine coverage measures reported compared with the previous year, and none of the childhood vaccines met the national 95% uptake target.<br/><br/>It is recognised that increasing access through a supplementary core service offer in addition to the GP contract should be of benefit to support increasing uptake, particularly in areas where the GP offer is not being utilised. Health Visitors are well placed to deliver this supplementary offer:<br/><br/>• They are a key point of contact with health services for parents and guardians with babies and young children aged 0 to 5.<br/>• Already offer advice and support to parents and guardians regarding immunisations for babies and young children as part of their core service<br/>• Deliver services in a range of settings, including families’ own homes, local community or primary care settings.<br/>• All immunisations routinely delivered to babies and pre-school aged children(aged 0 to five) will be in scope for delivery by Health Visitors.<br/>• Immunisations to school-aged children (five years plus) will remain out of scope, this includes vaccinating school aged siblings whilst in a domiciliary / other community setting.<br/>• Vaccinations for those aged 5 years plus are out of scope of this programme, there is an opportunity to signpost for vaccinations for older children as part of this work<br/>• Supply ordering and delivery mechanisms will be agreed locally; and local arrangements made for receipt and storage of vaccine.<br/>• Vaccine recording mechanisms /access to IT systems will be agreed locally.<br/><br/>The programme aims to complement and —not duplicate or override—ongoing local efforts to improve access to vaccinations for children and young people. It serves as an opportunity to strengthen and build upon existing initiatives.<br/><br/>NHS England Midlands is now intending to award a contract to the Most Suitable Provider to deliver the service which achieves the above objectives.<br/><br/>The contract will be for a period of 9 months from 01st February 2026 to 31st October 2026. The pilot may be extended to the end of the financial year subject to confirmation from the Commissioner and additional national funding being made available. The value of the proposed contract is East Midlands (Nottingham City) £141,628 for 9 months and West Midlands (Sandwell) £72,634 for 9 months.<br/><br/>A copy of the service specification can be found within the project on Atamis.<br/>Interested providers should formally register their interest via Atamis no later than midnight on 11 December 2025. Additional information: The Contracting Authority will be using an eTendering system for this procurement exercise. To view the specification and/or express an interest in this MSP please visit the 'Live Opportunities' list on the e-tendering system at the following link:<br/><br/>https://atamis-1928.my.salesforce-sites.com/?SearchType=Projects<br/><br/>You can also register your interest via this page. You can search for the opportunity by entering the following contract reference: C402443 – Health Visitor Service.<br/><br/>Details of award decision makers:<br/>The decision will be made by Vaccine Governance Group.