NHS Sight Testing and Dental Checks in Special Educational Settings

NHS England has published this Prior Information Notice (PIN) in relation to Sight Testing and Dispensing and Dental Checks in Special Educational Settings.

The Long-Term Plan made a commitment to provide dental checks, sight tests and ear checks to SEND children and young people in all special residential educational settings. A joint announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England was made on 19 June 2023 and detailed that the sight testing service would be expanded to all special educational settings. The 2024/2025 priorities and operational planning guidance details an ask of systems to implement annual sight tests and dispensing within special day and residential educational settings and dental checks within special residential educational settings during 2024/25, following engagement with SES and market testing.

NHS England is therefore keen to understand the market provider base available to achieve this.

Interested suppliers are encouraged to attend a market engagement webinar which will provide further information on the proposed service. These events are due to be held on the following dates:

• North West & North east & Yorkshire - Tuesday 26 November, 1-2pm • London & South East - Wednesday 27 November , 1-2pm • South West - Tuesday 3 December, 1-2pm • East of England & Midlands - Thursday 5 December, 12-1pm

Please note that attendance is limited to a maximum of two participants per organisation and registration with the NHSE team is essential prior to the event to secure a place. Register your interest through the Atamis e-sourcing portal https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome. and complete either the sight testing or dental registration information form. Please upload to the portal by Monday 18 November, 12 noon.

NHS England are also planning to hold a virtual supplier procurement session which will look at public sector procurement and how to use Atamis on 11 December 12-13:00. This session will be useful for those suppliers new to the tendering process. This session will also be recoded and uploaded to Atamis.

To register an interest in responding to this market engagement exercise and obtain further information regarding this project please go to: http://health.atamis.co.uk. All communications will be conducted via Atamis. The portal can be accessed at any time of the day and it is free to register.

This notice signals the intention to conduct an information gathering exercise only. This notice does not constitute a call for competition in its own right. Publication of this notice and/ or any responses to it does not commit NHS England and/ or respondents to undertaking or participating in any future procurement process, nor does it provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties