Provision of External Investigation HR Services and Related Topics

NHS England is seeking to commission a service that provides access to suitably qualified and experienced external investigators to conduct complex and sensitive workplace investigations. These may include HR matters, Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) (whistleblowing) and/or data breach investigations.

This service will support NHS England in responding promptly to and robustly to concerns raised by staff, in line with the NHS People Promise, ensuring staff feel heard and that we meet our responsibilities as an employer.

We are considering a delivery model where the appointed provider will:

• Recruit and manage a pool of investigators.
• Complete employment checks (including DBS checks)
• Ensure mandatory training is up to date (Information Governance, Safeguarding, Equality & Inclusion).
• Manage Payments to investigators.

Investigators must comply with the NHS England policy and relevant legal requirements, producing written reports with evidence-based conclusions and recommendations that can withstand judicial scrutiny.

Investigators should have:

• Senior-level experience in complex public sector organisations.
• Expertise in conducting or overseeing sensitive investigations.
• Relevant training and qualifications (HR, Information Governance, security clearance where required).
• Board-level experience, ideally with the NHS.

The provider must ensure investigators can be mobilised within two weeks of a case being assigned. The number of investigations will vary depending on case complexity and sensitivity.

The selected supplier is expected to commence work in early April 2026.