Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
NHS SUSSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
QNX
Sackville House, Brooks Close
Lewes
BN72FZ
UK
E-mail: sxicb.sussex-lcs-claims@nhs.net
NUTS: UKJ22
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk
I.3) Communication
Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at:
https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Health
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Community Pharmacy Locally Commissioned Service for Emergency Palliative Care Drugs
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85149000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has recommissioned the Community Pharmacy Locally Commissioned Service for Emergency Palliative Care Drugs to support people with palliative and end of life care needs access to medication in an emergency.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKJ21
UKJ22
UKJ27
UKJ28
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has recommissioned the Community Pharmacy Locally Commissioned Service for Emergency Palliative Care Drugs to support people with palliative and end of life care needs access to medication in an emergency.
The ICB is seeking providers to hold a locally agreed range and minimum quantity of emergency palliative care drugs (based on the Sussex palliative and end of life care prescribing guidance) with a commitment to ensure that users of this service have prompt access to these medicines during the pharmacy's regular core and supplementary hours.
The ICB are now inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from registered community pharmacies in Sussex with an NHS dispensing contract to provide this service from 1 November 2025 - 31 March 2028.
The eligibility of community pharmacy providers is listed below:
Essential criteria
The participating community pharmacies must be:
• Located within either East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove
• Meet the core contractual obligations required by NHS England for the Essential Services within the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.
• Contracted days will be for a minimum of opening Monday to Saturday with core hours a minimum of 40 hours per week.
• Able to access the pharmacies NHS e-mail during operating hours listed above.
• Must be able to access the list of other NHS pharmacies participating in this scheme hosted on the NHS Sussex intranet to effectively signpost patients.
Exclusion criteria
• Community pharmacies outside Sussex.
• Distance Selling Pharmacies (DSPs).
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: As detailed in the tender documentation
/ Weighting: 100
Price
/ Weighting:
0
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
01/11/2025
End:
31/03/2028
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Under the Provider Selection Regime 2023, the option of a Direct Award will be considered by the Commissioner.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
Essential criteria
The participating community pharmacies must be:
• Located within either East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove
• Meet the core contractual obligations required by NHS England for the Essential Services within the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.
• Contracted days will be for a minimum of opening Monday to Saturday with core hours a minimum of 40 hours per week.
• Able to access the pharmacies NHS e-mail during operating hours listed above.
• Must be able to access the list of other NHS pharmacies participating in this scheme hosted on the NHS Sussex intranet to effectively signpost patients.
Exclusion criteria
• Community pharmacies outside Sussex.
• Distance Selling Pharmacies (DSPs).
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
11/09/2025
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
12/09/2025
Local time: 09:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice. 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 Procurement Act 2023 and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.
Providers who wish to take part in the Commissioning Process should contact sxicb.sussex-lcs-claims@nhs.net
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
NHS Sussex ICB
Sackville House, Brooks Close
Lewes
BN7 2FZ
UK
E-mail: sxicb.primarycare@nhs.net
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHSE
Skipton House, 80 London Road
London
SE1 6LH
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
15/08/2025