Your healthtech solution works, the NHS procurement process does not
Complex approval pathways, risk-averse committees, and cost-over-value frameworks mean genuinely effective solutions can spend years in limbo before reaching a single patient.
- steps
- 7
- steps
- to start
- 1 to 2 weeks
- to start
The short answer
Much NHS buying above low values runs through frameworks, and most frameworks only admit new suppliers at set points. Find the frameworks your buyers already use, note when each next opens, build the bid evidence now, and in the meantime sell under threshold or through a partner already on the framework.
7 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 7 done
Ask 5 target procurement leads which framework they would use to buy something like yours
- Time
- 1 to 2 weeks
- Typical cost
- Free
- Who does it
- Account lead
Done when: 2 to 4 frameworks named by real buyers
This problem is Solvable.
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Framework bid readiness checklist
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Framework bid readiness checklist
Framework: [name, lot] Contracting authority: [e.g. NHS Supply Chain / Crown Commercial Service / HealthTrust Europe / NHS SBS / regional hub] Next opening: [date or 'dynamic, open now'] Named by these buyers: [trust names]
Eligibility (pass or fail)
- Registered on the Central Digital Platform
- Turnover and accounts meet the financial threshold: [requirement]
- Insurance levels met: employer's liability £[x], public liability £[x], professional indemnity £[x], product liability £[x]
- No mandatory or discretionary exclusion grounds apply
Assurance evidence
- Cyber Essentials Plus certificate (expiry [date])
- ISO 27001 or equivalent (if asked)
- DSPT published at 'Standards Met' (date [ ])
- DTAC completed on the current form
- DCB0129 clinical safety case and named clinical safety officer
- UKCA or CE marking (devices)
- Accessibility statement (digital)
Quality answers ready
- 3 case studies with measured outcomes, each with a named referee who has agreed
- Implementation plan with timeline and roles
- Service levels and support model
- Exit and data return plan
- Social value commitments with measurable targets
- Net zero or carbon reduction plan (if asked)
Commercial
- Price schedule in the framework's format
- Volume or tiered pricing agreed internally
- Framework terms reviewed by a lawyer; any clarifications drafted
Process
- Bid manager named: [name]
- Internal deadline 5 working days before the real one
- Red-team score review booked: [date]
- Clarification questions submitted by [date]
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Discovering a framework the week after it closed to new suppliers.
- Answering quality questions with brochure copy instead of evidence against the scoring criteria.
- Leaving Cyber Essentials Plus or DSPT until the bid opens.
- Winning a place and assuming buyers will find you.
- Treating social value questions as filler when they carry real marks.
Free personal check
Done by Paul Robinson, not software
I'll check which frameworks your buyers use and what you can sell through while you wait
What I need from you
- 7 tap answers about frameworks and certifications
- One line on what you sell
What you get
- Which frameworks to target and when
- What to sell through while you wait
- The three changes that matter most
Within 2 working days
No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Benchmarks
30%
HealthTech companies that chose not to bid on an NHS tender in 2024 because of unworkable requirements
22%
HealthTech companies that removed products from sale because the NHS price was below cost
Up to 4 years
Maximum term of a standard framework under the Procurement Act 2023 (longer only if the buyer states its reasons). Open frameworks must reopen to new suppliers at least once in their first 3 years and last 8 years at most
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for healthcare companies
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which framework should I target first?
The one your buyers name. Ask procurement leads directly; they will tell you.
Can I sell to the NHS without a framework?
Yes, under each trust's own thresholds or through a competitive tender. Frameworks make larger purchases easier, not possible.
What if the framework I need is closed?
Partner with a supplier already on it, sell under threshold, and prepare your evidence for the next opening.
Does a framework place guarantee sales?
No. It is permission to be bought. You still have to sell to each trust.
Do independent providers use frameworks?
Not in the NHS sense. Large groups keep preferred supplier lists and run their own tenders, which work in a similar way.
Last reviewed:
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