The Healthy Child Programme is a universal offer for all children from pre-birth to 19 years of age (24 where there are additional needs) and delivers mandatory functions that local authority Public Health departments are required to arrange delivery of through utilisation of their Public Health Grant allocations. The programme itself comprises a number of services, including 0-5 Health-Visiting service (HV); hearing and vision screening for primary age children; health information and advice for older children (primarily via school nurses); and associated health advice, information and signposting for all parents and children. In Norfolk these provisions are commissioned, by the County Council, as externally delivered services; the current provider, East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust.

The incumbent provider, East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust, has successfully delivered the Healthy Child Programme on behalf of the Council since 2015. The Council intends to award a new 12-month contract to this provider following the application of Direct Award Process C under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The contract is for the provision of the Healthy Child Programme and is referenced as NCCT43524. The provider's registered address is: East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust Unit 7-8 Meadow Park Meadow Lane St Ives Cambridgeshire PE27 4LG In accordance with Direct Award Process C, the decision-makers concluded that the existing provider is satisfying the current contract to a sufficient standard. This assessment was informed by the provider's performance against applicable key performance indicators and by consideration of the key criteria, together with the application of the basic selection criteria. The assessment demonstrated that the provider continues to deliver the service effectively and in a manner that meets the Council's requirements. The authority is also satisfied that the existing provider is likely to satisfy the requirements of the proposed contract to a sufficient standard, having considered the key criteria and applied the basic selection criteria. The authority therefore concluded that the conditions for Direct Award Process C were met. The award decision was made following an assessment against the key criteria set out within the Provider Selection Regime. No actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest were identified in relation to the decision-making process. For the avoidance of doubt, the Procurement Act 2023 and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The Council is currently undertaking a wider procurement exercise to award a contract for this service with a potential duration of up to 9.5 years. The procurement process remains ongoing, with initial offers due to be submitted by 30 September 2026. The notice identifier is: 2026/S 000-074284.