The organisation must provide clinical treatment and attention to ensure detainee safety.
This duty is enshrined in law under Code C of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
In 2007, the organisation entered into a 10-year, £35m contract with Reliance (now Tascor) to deliver Custody and Medical Services. The contract delivered non cashable savings of £2,074,000.
During the contract, the current provider made a decision to stop direct delivery of medical services. This was because it was no longer part of their core business.
As a result, the medical services contract was sub-contracted to Care and Custody (Health).
In June 2017, when the contract term ended, it was considered appropriate for the Custody Support Contract and Medical Services to be tendered separately. This was due to changes in the market.
Following a Competitive Tender Exercise, the contract was awarded to Mitie Care and Custody. This was for a period of three years with an option to extend for a further two.
The contract was completed and re-tendered in 2022. The incumbent provider Mitie won the contract on a repeated three year-term with the option to extend for a further two.
The initial three-year term is due to end on 31 August 2025. During the last part of the contract, the organisation made the decision not to use the optional extension. Instead, it decided to go back out to market.
An open tender process was completed in early 2025. A decision was made to award a replacement contract for the Custody Healthcare Service.
Details of the Procurement Process are included in the attached report.
DRF 2025 2026 – 007. Commissioning a Custody Healthcare Service (application, 174kB)