Orthodontic Services to North Devon and Torridge, on behalf of Devon ICB

This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) in relation to a pre-procurement market questionnaire.

NHS Devon ICB (the Commissioner) is seeking to recommission Level 2 and 3a NHS Orthodontic Services in North Devon and Torridge and invites the return of a market engagement questionnaire from suitably qualified and experienced Providers.

Orthodontics is the dental specialty concerned with facial growth, development of the dentition and occlusion, and the assessment, diagnosis, interception and treatment of malocclusions and facial deformity. The overall aim of the service is to provide equitable, accessible, high quality and cost effective specialist orthodontic services, in line with the National Guide for Commissioning Orthodontics, 2015 and NHS Personal Dental Services (PDS) Agreements Regulations 2005.

Orthodontics is mainly provided for children and adolescents who meet the agreed criteria for NHS treatment and for adults where there is clinical justification and where prior approval has been agreed with the commissioner.

The service includes: • Assessment and treatment delivered according to each patient's clinical needs, including interceptive treatment and in hours urgent care • Treatment includes examination, taking of radiographs, diagnosis, preventative care, advice, planning of orthodontic treatment, supply and repair of orthodontic appliances including retainers for a period of 12 months following the completion of active orthodontic treatment • Appropriate referral to other healthcare providers for mandatory or advanced mandatory services or any other appropriate and necessary healthcare • Advice to the patient and other clinicians where appropriate

The contracts are limited to orthodontic treatment within complexity Level 2 and 3a and excludes all mandatory services and the following additional services: • Sedation services • Domiciliary services • Minor oral surgery • Dental public health services • Orthodontic complexity level 1 and 3b cases

The procurement is anticipated to commence from November 2024, inviting tenders to deliver services, with contract commencement anticipated between August 2025 - November 2025. NHSE anticipates contracting for services under a PDS agreement.

To allow potential providers to reflect on the proposed services, early indicative information has been provided as part of this notice in the form of a Lot data sheet (which provides further detail on the geographical area).

Providers who wish to express their interest and complete the questionnaire will need to log in to the e-procurement system, Atamis, to access the Microsoft Forms link.

Expressions of interest / completed market engagement questionnaire must be received by no later than 12 noon on Wednesday 6th November 2024.

This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.

Additional information: Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access to the relevant information and market engagement questionnaire URL, you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.

If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to be able to submit your expression of interest / completed market engagement questionnaire.

This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Authority or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Authority will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) prior information notice. The contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply.