Circle Health Group to Ashford & St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for the Provision of Endoscopies

Location

Chertsey

Description

Endoscopy procedures including OGD, colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and related day‑case diagnostic procedures. Pathway includes pre‑assessment, procedure, recovery, discharge, documentation return, and NEDS submission.

Award Detail

Renewal Options

6 months from commencement, with an option to extend by 6 months

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85110000 - Hospital and related services

Indicators

• Options are available.
• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

This award has been made under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (PSR 2023). For the avoidance of doubt, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) do not apply to this procurement, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the PSR which disapplies PCR 2015 for healthcare services. The contract has been formally awarded using the Urgent Award Process, permitted under PSR Regulation 14(2). Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH) required immediate access to additional elective surgical capacity to meet Surrey Heartlands ICB's elective recovery objectives and to prevent breaches of statutory RTT and clinical prioritisation requirements. The ICB allocated time‑limited non‑recurrent elective recovery funding, which required rapid deployment and could not accommodate the timescales of a competitive process or Most Suitable Provider route. The urgency of need for procedures (including endoscopy) meant that delaying the award to conduct a competitive process would have: placed patients at risk of clinical harm due to extended waiting times resulted in imminent RTT breaches risked loss of ICB recovery funding impaired ASPH's ability to comply with obligations under the NHS Standard Contract Circle Health Group Ltd was identified as a provider with immediate confirmed capacity, validated pathways, established governance interfaces, and the ability to mobilise activity within days of contract signature, therefore, a viable provider capable of meeting the timescale and safety requirements associated with the urgent need. Accordingly, the award was made via the PSR Urgent Route, which allows direct award where there is an imperative need to protect patients or meet service continuity requirements, and where using another PSR route would be impossible or unsafe because of the immediacy of the need. All local independent sector hospital providers were engaged to support system elective recovery, including Nuffield Health Woking Hospital, Epsomedical Ltd at Cobham Day Surgery and Circle Health Group, each of whom was allocated activity and awarded a contract appropriate to their capacity and clinical capability. The specific award documented here relates to Circle Health Group Ltd.

Other Information

This contract has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this procurement. The award has been made via the Urgent Award Route in accordance with Regulation 14(2) of the PSR due to immediate operational need for additional endoscopy capacity to support statutory RTT, diagnostic waiting time and elective recovery obligations. Circle demonstrated immediate capacity, full JAG‑aligned governance compliance, ability to return documentation within 48 hours, and capability to submit NEDS outcomes. ASPH has engaged all local independent sector providers to support elective recovery: Nuffield Health Woking Hospital Epsomedical Ltd at Cobham Day Surgery Circle Health Group Each has been awarded contracts proportionate to capacity and capability. This Circle award forms one component of the system‑wide elective recovery approach.