II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKJ2
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
NHS Sussex has awarded this contract to suitably qualified and experienced providers for the delivery of community-based hearing aid services for adults aged 55 and over. Eligible providers have been accredited to deliver services as part of an AQP multi-provider model. Successful providers have been awarded contracts via Provider Selection Regime Direct Award Process B.
The initial contract duration will be 7 years commencing on 1 April 2026, with the option to extend for a further 3 years, offered via an NHS standard contract.
The Commissioner reserves the right to further extend the contract beyond the 10-year maximum duration subject to:
a. The requirements of Provider Selection Regime Process B.
b. Re-confirmation of an applicant's accreditation status.
Aims and objectives:
The overall ambitions of NHS Sussex in commissioning this service are:
• To strengthen our contribution to prevention and reduce health inequalities
• To promote patient education, self-management and empowerment;
• To improve the quality and safety of care and outcomes improvement;
• To support people to age well - falls prevention, healthy and active ageing, addressing loneliness, isolation and supporting independence and reducing the need for intervention;
• Integrated working with patients, carers and the local community and voluntary sector.
The aims of the service are for people with hearing problems to have:
• access to high quality, safe and efficient NHS hearing aids services, with short waiting times and high responsiveness to the needs of local communities, free at the point of access;
• choice as to where and when their treatment is delivered
The key objectives of this service are to:
• Improve public health and occupational health through treatment of hearing loss
• Provide equitable access to consistently high-quality care for all patients using the service
• Encourage identification, diagnosis and management of age-related hearing loss through improved patient and professional education, including timely signposting to lip reading classes and assistive technologies and other rehabilitation services
• Promote inclusion and participation of people who have hearing loss
• Be compliant with clinical guidance and good practice
• Conform to the recognised quality assurance tool Improving Quality In Physiological Diagnostic Services (IQIPS)
The expected outcomes of the service are:
• Timely access to hearing assessment, fitting and follow-up
• High proportion of patients continuing to wear hearing aids
• High levels of satisfaction from patients accessing the service and health professionals referring into the service
• Reduced social isolation and consequent mental ill health
• Improved quality of life for patients, their families/carers and communication partners.
Service Requirements:
Providers should be able to offer a comprehensive, patient centred service for adults aged 55 and over with suspected or diagnosed hearing loss related with age, encompassing:
• Hearing assessment
• Hearing aid fitting and calibration to national guidelines
• After care: maintenance, repairs, consumables (batteries, tubing), and follow-up reviews
Providers are required to conform to the recognised quality assurance tool Improving Quality In Physiological Diagnostic Services (IQIPS). IQIPs accreditation must be achieved (or demonstrate willingness to achieve accreditation within 18 months of contract award).
No minimum activity is guaranteed for accredited providers - each provider's participation depends on patient choice and referral volume.
Individual Provider contracts will be zero value and any payments made will be based on activity performed.
The annual service value total for all current AQP Providers (23/24 outturn) was approx £6.5m. So, for 7 years + 3 year option = £65,000,000.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Patient choice
/ Weighting: 100
Price
/ Weighting:
0
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
This contract has a 7 year (84 month) initial term. The Commissioner at its sole discretion can extend this contract for up to an additional period of up to 3 years (36 additional months).
The Commissioner reserves the right to further extend the contract beyond the 10-year maximum duration subject to:
a. The requirements of Provider Selection Regime Process B.
b. Re-confirmation of an applicant's accreditation status.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No