North Cumbria Acute Respiratory Infection Services

INTENTION TO AWARD NOTICE North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) (the Relevant Authority) intend to award a contract following a PSR2023 compliant competitive process to commission North Cumbria Acute Respiratory Infection Services under the NHS Standard Contract 2026/27. This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Healthcare Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (PSR). For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. The contract term is for an initial period of two years commencing on 01 October 2026, with an option to extend for a further two years at the discretion of the Relevant Authority and subject to satisfactory contractual and financial performance. Annual Financial Envelope: £159,246 Initial Two Year Contract Term: 01/10/2026 - 30/09/2028 Standstill Period Ends 16 September 2026

SERVICE AIMS Support patients with urgent clinical needs by enhancing and providing additional same day access to assessment and specialist advice as needed. Seek to reduce ambulance callouts, A&E attendances and hospital admissions for patients who could be appropriately managed in the community. Reduce the burden of acute respiratory illness on primary care and provide more time for practice teams to support patients where continuity of care is most important. Reduce nosocomial transmission by separating the high expected flow of infectious patients through additional services rather than usual GP waiting rooms and clinics. Seek to provide an accessible and equitable service to support same day access (with consideration given to the location of these services). This approach would support a positive impact on the health outcomes of the Core20PLUS population for tackling health inequalities and provision of inclusive services. Additional information: A critical service model principal is the mandatory completion of operational and clinical outcome data reporting which will offer NENC ICB and the regional population multiple benefits including the ability to demonstrate positive impact on patients. This is mandated information and data requirements will be enforced in any future contracting arrangements and for all future providers.

SERVICE AIMS Support patients with urgent clinical needs by enhancing and providing additional same day access to assessment and specialist advice as needed. Seek to reduce ambulance callouts, A&E attendances and hospital admissions for patients who could be appropriately managed in the community. Reduce the burden of acute respiratory illness on primary care and provide more time for practice teams to support patients where continuity of care is most important. Reduce nosocomial transmission by separating the high expected flow of infectious patients through additional services rather than usual GP waiting rooms and clinics. Seek to provide an accessible and equitable service to support same day access (with consideration given to the location of these services). This approach would support a positive impact on the health outcomes of the Core20PLUS population for tackling health inequalities and provision of inclusive services. Additional information: A critical service model principal is the mandatory completion of operational and clinical outcome data reporting which will offer NENC ICB and the regional population multiple benefits including the ability to demonstrate positive impact on patients. This is mandated information and data requirements will be enforced in any future contracting arrangements and for all future providers.

SERVICE AIMS Support patients with urgent clinical needs by enhancing and providing additional same day access to assessment and specialist advice as needed. Seek to reduce ambulance callouts, A&E attendances and hospital admissions for patients who could be appropriately managed in the community. Reduce the burden of acute respiratory illness on primary care and provide more time for practice teams to support patients where continuity of care is most important. Reduce nosocomial transmission by separating the high expected flow of infectious patients through additional services rather than usual GP waiting rooms and clinics. Seek to provide an accessible and equitable service to support same day access (with consideration given to the location of these services). This approach would support a positive impact on the health outcomes of the Core20PLUS population for tackling health inequalities and provision of inclusive services. Additional information: A critical service model principal is the mandatory completion of operational and clinical outcome data reporting which will offer NENC ICB and the regional population multiple benefits including the ability to demonstrate positive impact on patients. This is mandated information and data requirements will be enforced in any future contracting arrangements and for all future providers.