Special Care and Paediatric Dentistry (General Anaesthetic) - Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Special Care Dentistry is concerned with the improvement of the oral health of individuals and groups in society who have a physical, sensory, intellectual, mental, medical, social impairment or disability or a combination of these factors. The specialty focuses on adolescents and adults only and includes the important period of transition as the adolescent moves into adulthood.

Paediatric dentistry is the provision of oral healthcare to children and young people (CYP) from birth until their 16th birthday.  Care may be provided across primary, secondary and tertiary care settings to children and young people with:

• extensive oral disease
• whose oral health is complicated by intellectual, medical, physical, social, psychological and/or emotional factors/disability
• with developmental disorders of the teeth and mouth
• who are either too anxious or too young to accept routine dental treatment, with diagnosed special educational needs
• who have sustained complex traumatic dental injuries.

This contract relates to treatment of patients under General Anaesthetic (GA) in a hospital setting.

NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Board (ICB) is looking to continue Special Care and Paediatric Dentistry (GA) with the current provider in Oxfordshire.

The term of the existing Special Care and Paediatric Dentistry (GA) contract is due to expire on 31st March 2026 and BOB ICB has proposed that a new contract should replace that existing contract at the end of its term. All requirements outlined in Regulation 6(5) of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 have been met, including not breaching the considerable change threshold, and therefore direct award process C has been deemed the appropriate provider selection process.

After conducting an assessment of the incumbent provider, taking into account the key criteria and applying the basic selection criteria, NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB is content that the existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard.

The service is anticipated to commence on the 1st April 2026 for a contract duration of 2 years until the 31st March 2028, with a total value of £1,252,993.

This transparency notice serves as an intention to award the contract to the incumbent provider, using direct award process C under PSR.

This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.