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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

SCE0050 - Fostering Medical Assessments (AH1/AH2) and Medical Advisor Services

Leicester City Council · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 26 Sept 2026, 05:42.

Opportunity overview

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Fostering Medical Assessments (AH1/AH2) and Medical Advisor Services Leicester City Council is exploring the market to understand the availability and capability of organisations to deliver fostering medical assessments and provide independent medical advice to the Our Fostering Service. We are considering commissioning a provider who can undertake the full fostering medical assessment process, including completion of the Adult Health Report (AH1) and the Medical Advisor Report (AH2), full medical summary and attend fostering panels where required. Traditionally these assessments are completed by General Practitioners (GPs), with a Fostering Medical Advisor reviewing the information and providing advice to the fostering service and fostering panel. Due to increasing challenges in accessing GP capacity, Leicester City Council wishes to understand alternative delivery models that maintain high quality, timely assessments whilst meeting statutory requirements. We are also interested in understanding whether providers would have the capacity to deliver this service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN) should commissioning partners wish to pursue a collaborative approach. In addition to exploring a single provider model, Leicester City Council is also seeking market views on alternative delivery approaches that could support a collaborative service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN). This may include a single provider delivering across the whole footprint, a lead provider working with delivery partners or subcontractors, or a geographical delivery model where providers are responsible for delivering services within defined localities. The Council is keen to understand which delivery models the market considers to be the most effective, sustainable and capable of providing timely, high-quality fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services. Responses received through this Soft Market Test will help inform the future commissioning approach and determine whether a collaborative model across the wider LLRN footprint is viable. This soft market test gives providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners will use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your response, and it is not our intention to provide any feedback. Leicester City Council is a unitary authority serving a population of approximately 380,000 people. The Council is responsible for delivering a wide range of children's social care services, including fostering, adoption and kinship support. Leicester is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in the UK, with increasing demand for children's services. The Council is exploring alternative approaches to delivering fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services to ensure prospective foster carers receive timely, high-quality assessments that meet statutory requirements. Please note that any procurement and contract start dates mentioned in this notice are estimates and may change. Additionally, the total contract value is an estimate and it is likely to change. Further information can be found through the following advert link: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=fdb335f2-fe8b-f111-813c-005056b64545

Classification

  • CPV85000000 — Health and social work services

Lots

  • Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
SCE0050
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
No
Status
planning

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Special regime

lightTouch

Communication

Future Notice Date
1 Feb 2027, 23:59

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Has Renewal
Yes
Status
planning

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Jun 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 May 2028, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 May 2029, 23:59

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
85000000
Description
Health and social work services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKF21
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Planning and budget

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Description
THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Fostering Medical Assessments (AH1/AH2) and Medical Advisor Services Leicester City Council is exploring the market to understand the availability and capability of organisations to deliver fostering medical assessments and provide independent medical advice to the Our Fostering Service. We are considering commissioning a provider who can undertake the full fostering medical assessment process, including completion of the Adult Health Report (AH1) and the Medical Advisor Report (AH2), full medical summary and attend fostering panels where required. Traditionally these assessments are completed by General Practitioners (GPs), with a Fostering Medical Advisor reviewing the information and providing advice to the fostering service and fostering panel. Due to increasing challenges in accessing GP capacity, Leicester City Council wishes to understand alternative delivery models that maintain high quality, timely assessments whilst meeting statutory requirements. We are also interested in understanding whether providers would have the capacity to deliver this service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN) should commissioning partners wish to pursue a collaborative approach. In addition to exploring a single provider model, Leicester City Council is also seeking market views on alternative delivery approaches that could support a collaborative service across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire (LLRN). This may include a single provider delivering across the whole footprint, a lead provider working with delivery partners or subcontractors, or a geographical delivery model where providers are responsible for delivering services within defined localities. The Council is keen to understand which delivery models the market considers to be the most effective, sustainable and capable of providing timely, high-quality fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services. Responses received through this Soft Market Test will help inform the future commissioning approach and determine whether a collaborative model across the wider LLRN footprint is viable. This soft market test gives providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners will use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your response, and it is not our intention to provide any feedback. Leicester City Council is a unitary authority serving a population of approximately 380,000 people. The Council is responsible for delivering a wide range of children's social care services, including fostering, adoption and kinship support. Leicester is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in the UK, with increasing demand for children's services. The Council is exploring alternative approaches to delivering fostering medical assessments and Medical Advisor services to ensure prospective foster carers receive timely, high-quality assessments that meet statutory requirements. Please note that any procurement and contract start dates mentioned in this notice are estimates and may change. Additionally, the total contract value is an estimate and it is likely to change. Further information can be found through the following advert link: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=fdb335f2-fe8b-f111-813c-005056b64545
Due
4 Sept 2026, 23:59
Status
scheduled

Documents

Entry 1
Id
075420-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Published
7 Aug 2026, 15:56
Format
text/html

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
Leicester City Council
Id
GB-PPON-PXRT-5737-VBQD

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PXRT-5737-VBQD

Address

Street Address
115 Charles Street
Locality
Leicester
Postal Code
LE1 1FZ
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKF21

Contact

Name
Ayomide Ajobiewe

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - sub-central government
Organisation 2
Name
Leicestershire County Council
Id
GB-PPON-PNHT-9235-VXDV
Role Details
Leicester city council is leading this Soft Market Test on behalf of Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council and North Northamptonshire Council

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PNHT-9235-VXDV

Address

Street Address
County Hall
Locality
Leicester
Postal Code
LE3 8RA
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKF22

Contact

Roles

procuringEntity

Details

Organisation 3
Name
Rutland County Council
Id
GB-PPON-PMQJ-3429-NZWQ
Role Details
Leicester city council is leading this Soft Market Test on behalf of Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council and North Northamptonshire Council

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PMQJ-3429-NZWQ

Address

Street Address
Catmos House
Locality
Oakham
Postal Code
LE15 6HP
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKF22

Contact

Roles

procuringEntity
Organisation 4
Name
North Northamptonshire Council
Id
GB-PPON-PQCM-5634-HGCN
Role Details
Leicester city council is leading this Soft Market Test on behalf of Leicestershire County Council, Rutland County Council and North Northamptonshire Council

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PQCM-5634-HGCN

Address

Street Address
The Corby Cube, George Street
Locality
Corby
Postal Code
NN17 1QG
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKF25

Contact

Roles

procuringEntity

Details

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Leicester · UKF21 · LE1 1FZ · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKF21 · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. 075420-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·