Level 1 Dental Sedation Service in Mid and South Essex

NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) intends to award three contracts to deliver Level 1 Sedation Services for children and adults in Mid and South Essex, following a Most Suitable Provider (MSP) process under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. Level 1 conscious sedation services provide basic, safe sedation, mainly inhalation sedation and single drug intravenous sedation, to help patients undergo routine dental treatment. These services follow nationally recognised IACSD Standards, which set requirements for trained staff, appropriate clinical environments, monitoring, and safe recovery. The Authority seeks to increase Level 1 dental sedation capacity in North Mid and South Essex, specifically from Chelmsford northwards, with services located along the A12/A120 corridor to ensure good patient access. Providers will only be deemed suitable therefore if they operate an existing dental practice within this defined catchment. In applying the Process, the Authority has assessed the five Key Criteria and updated its provider landscape knowledge through a key criteria assessment and data gathering process, to confirm provider capability and local connections. Based on its assessment, the Authority believes it can identify the MSP without a competitive process.