Provision of the NMC Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Delivery Services

Description

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) published a Concession notice on the Find a Tender service: https://www.findtender. service.gov.uk/Notice/005672-2021 on 19.03.2021 and ran a procurement process during 2021 to identify and appoint a number of partners who will work with us to provide the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) part of our Test of Competence. The appointed 5 service providers will deliver the OSCE examination on behalf of the NMC and be responsible for delivering their services with the targets as described within the NMC's relevant statement of requirements and supporting documentation published on 19 March 2021 on the NMC's e-sourcing portal Intend. As part of our remit to support both health and social care across the four countries (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), the NMC has committed to working closely with the NHS to ensure ongoing OSCE capacity to support their international nursing recruitment programme, aimed at expanding additional supply and supporting trusts to reduce their nursing vacancies. The government have committed to recruit 50,000 new nurses to the register by 2024. A significant proportion of that number are expected to come from overseas. The new OSCE delivery contracts will continue to be concession contracts.