Eye Testing and Spectacles Services for Children with Special Educational Needs in the South East

NHS South East Integrated Care Boards are seeking qualified providers to deliver sight testing and dispensing of spectacles services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in special educational settings across five geographic lots. This is a 5-year contract (with optional 2-year extension) starting in 2026, based on evidence from NHS England's 2021 Proof of Concept programme demonstrating the effectiveness of delivering these services directly in educational settings. The service ensures eligible children receive annual sight tests to reduce health inequalities and improve educational outcomes. Five lots are available: Lot 1 Thames Valley (£2.36m-£3.30m), Lot 2 Hampshire and Isle of Wight (£2.18m-£3.05m), Lot 3 Kent and Medway (£3.27m-£4.57m), Lot 4 Surrey (£1.63m-£2.28m), and Lot 5 Sussex (£1.98m-£2.77m). Contracts will use the General Ophthalmic Additional Services Model Contract for Special Educational Settings and may be subject to TUPE regulations. More details are available in the service specification and engagement report on the NHS England website. This procurement was managed by NHS SCW CSU under the Provider Selection Regime.