How to apply for a CHC homecare framework
NHS continuing healthcare homecare is care at home funded by the NHS for people with complex health needs. Integrated care boards buy it through frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems, often shared across several ICBs. You pass a selection stage, then score on clinical competence, complex care delivery and care coordination. We confirm you qualify for free before you start.
Who buys CHC homecare
CHC homecare is commissioned by NHS integrated care boards rather than councils, sometimes through a lead ICB on behalf of a region, and is usually advertised on the NHS portal Atamis as well as Find a Tender. It is frequently run as a framework or DPS so the ICB can refer complex packages quickly. Packages can be high-acuity and high-value, including continuing care and fast-track end-of-life support, so the clinical bar is higher than standard home care. Knowing which ICBs sit behind a shared framework tells you the geography and volume you are bidding to cover.
How CHC differs from council home care
CHC is NHS-funded clinical care, not means-tested social care, so the buyer, the language and the evidence all differ. Commissioners expect clinical competence, registered nurse oversight or delegated clinical tasks signed off under supervision, and coordination with district nurses, GPs and therapists. A bid written as if it were ordinary domiciliary care is the single most common reason providers lose CHC tenders. Show that you understand the NHS framework around you, including how packages are reviewed, how clinical risk is held, and how you work inside an ICB's pathways rather than alongside them.
What the questions cover
Scored questions focus on clinical competence and supervision, managing complex and high-acuity packages, care coordination with district nurses and therapists, and how you train and sign off staff on specific clinical tasks such as PEG feeding, tracheostomy care or stoma care. Business continuity matters because a CHC package failing puts a vulnerable person at immediate risk. Commissioners want named clinical leads, a competency framework, and clear escalation when a person deteriorates. Evidence beats intention, so describe a real complex package and how your clinical governance held it safely.
Evidencing clinical competence and task sign-off
The heart of a CHC bid is showing how non-registered staff are made safe to carry out delegated clinical tasks. Set out who assesses competence, how it is signed off, how often it is refreshed, and who provides clinical supervision and is accountable when something goes wrong. Link this to a named clinical lead and a documented competency framework rather than a general training pledge. Show how you would stand up a complex package quickly and safely, including out-of-hours cover and escalation, because ICBs are buying confidence that a high-risk package will not fail on a Friday night.
Submission and continuity planning
Submit through Atamis or the stated portal in the exact format requested and well ahead of the deadline, as NHS portals follow strict process and a late upload is normally rejected. Attach every clinical policy and competency document on the checklist. CHC tenders weight business continuity heavily, so set out how you keep a package running through staff sickness, withdrawal or a sudden change in need. A clear continuity plan with named roles, on-call cover and a route back into the ICB reassures the commissioner that the person at the centre stays safe whatever happens.
Common pitfalls
The usual misses are treating CHC like ordinary domiciliary care, thin evidence of clinical task sign-off, and weak care-coordination detail. Vague continuity planning and ignoring the NHS pathways around the package also cost marks. Our CHC homecare tender writing page sets out how we evidence safe complex care for an NHS buyer, mirroring the scoring so your clinical governance and competency evidence is read first.
Council home care versus CHC homecare
The two look similar but are bought differently and scored against a different bar.
| Feature | Council home care | CHC homecare |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer | Local authority | NHS integrated care board |
| Funding | Means-tested social care | NHS-funded clinical care |
| Portal | ProContract, Due North, In-Tend | Atamis, plus Find a Tender |
| Evidence bar | Staffing, continuity, call monitoring | Clinical competence, task sign-off, coordination |
Not sure if you qualify for a tender? We check it for free, before you pay anything, and we only take bids we believe you can win. See our continuing healthcare tender writing or text TENDER to get started.
Common questions
Who funds and buys CHC homecare?
NHS continuing healthcare is funded by the NHS and bought by integrated care boards, often through a shared regional framework on the Atamis portal. This differs from council home care, so the evidence and clinical bar differ too. We explain your target buyer in your free eligibility check.
Do I need clinical or nursing capacity to bid?
Usually you need to show clinical competence, supervision and the ability to sign off staff on specific tasks, even where care workers deliver the support. We check what your target framework requires before you write.
How is CHC homecare different from a council home care contract?
CHC is NHS-funded clinical care for complex needs, bought by an ICB, with a higher clinical bar and a focus on competence, supervision and coordination. Writing it like ordinary domiciliary care is the most common reason providers lose. We help you pitch it correctly.
What clinical tasks are commonly involved?
Packages can include delegated tasks such as PEG feeding, tracheostomy and stoma care, signed off under supervision. Commissioners score how you assess, sign off and refresh competence and who holds clinical accountability. We build this from your real governance.
Why does business continuity matter so much?
Because a failed CHC package puts a vulnerable person at immediate risk. Commissioners weight your continuity plan heavily, including out-of-hours cover and escalation back to the ICB. We help you set out a credible, named plan.
What does the first tender cost?
£795 for your first tender. We only take bids we believe you can win, hold a 96% win rate, and rewrite free if a loss is clearly down to our writing error.
Keep reading
Service
Continuing healthcare tender writing
Nursing home framework application
Complex care tenders
Atamis NHS portal
Browse all care tender guides, or see care tender writing by service.
Got a tender to check?
Text TENDER to +44 7822 030677and we'll tell you free whether you'd qualify, before you spend a penny.