Sight Testing for Children and Young People in Special Educational Settings

NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Integrated Care Board, NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board and NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board are currently working together in a formal "clustering" arrangement to prepare for their merger into a single, new organisation (name to be confirmed), effective from 1st April 2027.
The commissioners are seeking to secure suitably qualified provider(s) who have the capability and capacity to deliver sight testing to children and young people in special educational settings (SES) across the BSW, Somerset and Dorset footprints in line with the specified requirements.
The service will be procured as one lot.
The service will provide routine appointments, triage and treatment to all children and young people with SEND needs in residential and day SES within BSW, Somerset and Dorset (including Bournemouth and Poole) with onward referral where appropriate.
Key Service Objectives:
• Providing annual sight tests in the school setting (unless a more frequent interval is clinically indicated).
• Close collaboration with school staff, parents, and carers
• Provide guidance and support based on individual specific needs and their medical history.
• Obtain written consent from pupils/parents/carers/guardians.
• Enable attendance from parents/carers/guardians to the sight test and selection of frames.
• Offer a range of suitable frames or NHS optical voucher for high street use.
• Provide an eye health outcome and vision report.
• Appropriate onward referral.
The contract will be for an initial 3 year term with an optional extension of any period up to 2 years.
This is a new service; therefore TUPE does not apply.
The new service will commence on the 1st April 2027.

This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West (SCW) on behalf of the commissioners. SCW is currently subject to restructuring, and the management of this procurement may therefore move to a successor at some point during the procurement process.  Bidders will be informed of any such change, and any administrative changes because of it.

NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Integrated Care Board, Somerset Integrated Care Board and Dorset Integrated Care Board are currently working together in a formal "clustering" arrangement to prepare for their merger into a single, new organisation (name to be confirmed), effective from 1st April 2027.
The commissioners are seeking to secure suitably qualified provider(s) who have the capability and capacity to deliver sight testing to children and young people checks in special educational settings (SES) across the BSW, Somerset and Dorset footprints in line with the specified requirements.
The service will be procured as one lot.
The service will provide routine appointments, triage and treatment to all children and young people with SEND needs in residential and day SES within BSW, Somerset and Dorset (including Bournemouth and Poole) with onward referral where appropriate.
In delivery and management of the SES sight testing service, the provider will be expected to build good relationships with schools, parents/carers and pupils, share information and develop a wider understanding of visual challenges for children and young people in an SES setting. The provider will work closely with SES staff to ensure the service flexibly aligns with school capacity and schedules.
The provider will also work collaboratively with other relevant providers as identified by the commissioner, to support the care and or treatment of children and young people.
Key Service Objectives:
• Providing annual sight tests in the school setting (unless a more frequent interval is clinically indicated).
• Close collaboration with school staff, parents, and carers
• Provide guidance and support based on individual specific needs and their medical history.
• Obtain written consent from pupils/parents/carers/guardians.
• Enable attendance from parents/carers/guardians to the sight test and selection of frames.
• Offer a range of suitable frames or NHS optical voucher for high street use.
• Provide an eye health outcome and vision report.
• Appropriate onward referral.
The contract will be for an initial 3 year term with an optional extension of any period up to 2 years
This is a new service; therefore, TUPE does not apply.
The contract is tariff based and the value for each ICB is:
BSW ICB £177,000 per annum.
Somerset ICB £135,000 per annum.
Dorset ICB£187,000 per annum.
The total contract value is £499,000 per annum, giving a contract value of £1,497,000 for the initial 3 year term and £2,495,000 if the full extension period is adopted. All values provided are inclusive of any non-recoverable VAT. A full breakdown of costs is provided in the tender documentation.
Additional monies of up to a maximum of £60,000 is available for mobilisation as detailed within the tender documentation. The total costs awarded for this support will be agreed at