Adult Hearing Services (Audiology) provide assessment, rehabilitation, and ongoing support for adults experiencing hearing and communication difficulties. The service includes hearing assessments, access to hearing aids where clinically appropriate, and associated aftercare and support. This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with Regulation 9 (Direct Award Process C) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The procurement relates to the provision of Adult Audiology Services for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent population.

This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with Regulation 9 (Direct Award Process C) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The procurement relates to the provision of Adult Audiology Services for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent population. NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (SSoT ICB) currently holds a contract with Specsavers Hearcare Limited for the provision of Adult Audiology Services. This service provides assessment, rehabilitation, and ongoing support for adults experiencing hearing and communication difficulties. The service includes hearing assessments, the provision of hearing aids where clinically appropriate, and associated aftercare and support. The SSoT ICB is satisfied that the existing provider will likely satisfy the requirements of the proposed contract and that the requirements for the provision of healthcare services are not changing considerably. As such, the proposed arrangements do not meet the considerable change threshold set out in Regulation 6(10) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The intention is to award a contract to Specsavers Hearcare Limited, the existing provider. The contract period will be one year, commencing on 1 October 2026 and expiring on 30 September 2027. This is a zero-value contract with payments based on activity and locally agreed prices. The estimated contract value for the one-year contract period is £1,678,348.00.