Decision

To enter into a formal agreement with East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust for the provision of ad hoc Occupational Health services, specifically to support complex and secondary ill-health assessments.

Reasons for the decision

In accordance with section 4.2.2 of the Authority’s Procurement Procedure Rules (Procurement Threshold: £2,500 to £10,000 (Excl. VAT)), a review and evaluation of two specialist Occupational Health providers was undertaken. Evidence of this process has been retained by the department.

Following this evaluation, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has been recommended for engagement on the basis of their independence, specialist clinical expertise in complex ill-health assessments, and overall value for money.

The recommendation supports the Authority’s statutory obligations to safeguard employee wellbeing and ensure access to appropriate medical advice in line with employment and pension regulations.

Alternative options considered

As part of the procurement process, an alternative external Occupational Health provider was identified and evaluated against key criteria, including independence, clinical expertise, responsiveness, and cost. While both providers were capable of delivering the required service, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust was selected due to their enhanced capacity to manage complex and secondary ill-health assessments, their NHS governance framework, and best value considerations.