QHM-2025-7924 Crispin Pharmacy Ltd (Shotton Pharmacy)

The NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, based in Sunderland, United Kingdom, is the contracting authority for a recently concluded procurement process awarded on 1st October 2025. The tender titled "QHM-2025-7924 Crispin Pharmacy Ltd (Shotton Pharmacy)" falls under the health services industry category. This contract involves stocking palliative drugs and operates under the Direct Award Process A in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) regulations 2023.

Notably, it bypasses the typical procedures outlined in the Procurement Act 2023 and the Procurement Regulations 2024. The procurement method employed was limited, with the contract spanning from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026. Despite being a service-based contract with no guaranteed monetary value, it is valued nominally at £0.01 due to the nature of the activity-based arrangement.

This contract offers opportunities for growth to businesses with expertise in healthcare provisions, particularly those that provide palliative care pharmaceutical services. As the procurement method involved a direct award without a call for competition, businesses capable of establishing themselves as indispensable service providers and holding no viable alternatives could stand out in future tenders. Crispin Pharmacy Ltd, located in County Durham, secured this contract as they were identified as the only realistic provider, highlighting the competitive advantage for well-established companies in this specialised industry niche.