Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
SOMERSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
RH5
Musgrove Park Hospital
Taunton
TA15DA
UK
Contact person: Nicky Keeble
E-mail: servicesteam.procurement@somersetft.nhs.uk
NUTS: UKK23
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.somersetft.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
Provision of transport for stroke and suspected stroke patients
Reference number: TRA030
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85143000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
A short term urgent contract to deliver a dedicated transport service for patients requiring repatriation to Yeovil District Hospital following admission to a hospital for stroke or suspected stroke.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
150 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK2
Main site or place of performance:
The Services will be carried out across Somerset and Dorset.
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This is a short term urgent award contract to deliver a dedicated transport service for patients requiring repatriation to Yeovil District Hospital following admission to a hospital for stroke or suspected stroke.
The Trust considers that there was an urgent need to award a contract.
The lifetime value of the contract is expected to be £150,000
The contract dates are 9 September 2026 - 25 January 2027 with the option to extend until 28 February 2027.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion: To address immediate risks to safety and quality of care
/ Weighting: 100
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 IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). This contract has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
Section V: Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
08/09/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Western Medical Services
14587085
Newton Abbot
UK
NUTS: UKK4
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 150 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
This contract has been awarded under regulation 14 of the Health Care 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.
Regulation 14 was applicable because: (1) the award must be made urgently as the Trust requires a dedicated transport provider to be in place from 9 September 2026; (2) the reason for the urgency is that following challenges and having received legal advice (privilege in which is not waived) the Trust was unable to conclude its planned procurement for the service and there is insufficient time to complete a new Competitive Process before the service is required to go live; and (3) delaying the award of the contract is likely to pose a risk to patient safety because there will be a revised Stroke pathway from September 2026 which requires a dedicated transport provider to ensure the flow of patients from the Hyper Acute Stroke Units in Musgrove Park Hospital and Dorset County Hospital to the Acute Stroke Unit in Yeovil District Hospital. If a provider were not appointed patient safety would be compromised due to the risk of delays in arranging the spot purchase of transport which would result in beds being blocked in the Hyper Acute Stroke Units for new patients having a Stroke.
This temporary contract is strictly time limited to allow time for a Competitive Process to be run to award a longer term contract for this service. The Competitive Process is planned to commence in September 2026.
The decision-maker was the Operational Service Manager (Transport).
There were no declared conflicts or potential conflicts of interest.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
NHSE Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel
London
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
06/10/2026