Inclusion Health and Asylum Seeker Healthcare Team 2026 - 2027

Location

Norwich

Description

The Asylum Seeker Healthcare Team provides proactive, outreach‑based primary healthcare to people seeking asylum and other vulnerable groups residing in dispersal and contingency accommodation.

Total Quantity or Scope

NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board are awarding this contract due to an urgent circumstance which is outlined within the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The Asylum Seeker Healthcare Team provides proactive, outreach‑based primary healthcare to people seeking asylum and other vulnerable groups residing in dispersal and contingency accommodation. The service delivers comprehensive initial health assessments, vaccination and immunisation support, ongoing clinical care for complex health needs, and timely signposting to appropriate NHS and community services. The team supports early identification of physical and mental health needs, facilitates registration with local GP practices, and works to reduce barriers to accessing mainstream healthcare, helping to prevent avoidable deterioration in health and unplanned use of urgent care. The contract will include administrative elements to support continuity of service provision until strategic review of commissioning arrangements has been concluded and new contract put in place (March 2027), following exit of previous provider (Norfolk County Council). This is a 12 month contract from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2027 with a total value of £144,000 with no option for further extension.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85323000 - Community health services

Indicators

• Award on basis of price and quality.

Legal Justification

This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. This award is being made urgently and the reason for the urgency was not foreseen by the ICB for the reasons outlined within this notice. This award is being made in order to prevent risk to patient and public safety, and the ICB is not able to satisfy the requirements of regulations 6 - 13 for the reasons outlined below. This service is currently in a caretaker position with no contract in place. Withdrawal of services from previous provider in September 2025 created instability and the need for the service will continue until new arrangements are put in place in April 2027, following strategic review of outreach services. A contract is required with the provider to assure patient safety, value for money and accountability. Decision agreed by the General Practice and Community Pharmacy Delivery Group - 30/3/26 - No conflicts of interest, actual or perceived have been declared.

Other Information

This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Health Care Services Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act Regulations 2024 do not apply to this award. An urgent award is required to ensure continuity of essential asylum seeker healthcare services following changes to existing local delivery arrangements and change to a dispersal model. Interim provision is necessary to prevent any gap in health assessments, vaccination delivery and care coordination for a vulnerable population, while longer‑term commissioning arrangements are developed. Norfolk Primary Care is already delivering core aspects of the service and is best placed to provide immediate continuity on a time‑limited basis. Withdrawal of services from previous provider in September 2025 created instability and need for this service will continue until new arrangements are put in place in April 2027, following strategic review of outreach services. A contract is required with the provider to assure patient safety, value for money and accountability. • The award must be made urgently. • The reason for the urgency was not foreseeable by and is not attributable to the relevant authority. • Delaying the award to conduct a full application of the Regime would be likely to pose a [significant] risk to patient or public safety. This decision was agree at the General Practice and Community Pharmacy Delivery Group - 30/3/2026. No conflicts of interest, actual or perceived have been declared.