Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how NHS England assesses bids for contracts where some of the bidding organisations have not provided a similar service previously or have not provided a similar service which has been subject to NHS quality measures or inspection.

As commissioners, clinical commissioning groups and NHS England use predetermined questions to establish the credentials and capabilities of potential providers. This includes the assessment of evidence of delivery that providers are required to submit as part of the tender exercise. If evidence of ability to provide such a service is not assessed as sufficient, then the potential provider may be disqualified from the process following further clarifications and lack of additional reassurance to meet the service specification requirements.

NHS England only assesses bids for contracts for services which NHS England itself commissions in accordance with its statutory functions and which are put out to tender.