Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2020-08-11
Buyer: NHS England and NHS Improvement South West
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 85100000: Health services

Technical requirements: Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Tier 4 In-patient Services, for Psychiatric Intensive Care (PiCU) Beds and Low Secure Beds within the South West Regional Footprint
NHS England and NHS Improvement South West (NHSE/I) seeks expressions of interest (EOIs) from providers who have the capability to deliver PiCU and low secure beds for the population of South West England. EOIs received will be used to help NHSE/I determine their commissioning and contracting options for these services. NHS E/I wish to enter into long term contractual arrangements for safe and integrated services in the South West and encourage organisations to work together to support delivery of this requirement.
The services are not currently provided in the region and this EOI process will help to identify any existing or potential capacity. As such, only organisations with appropriate experience, capability and actual/potential capacity should respond to this notice.
NHS England and NHS Improvement South West (NHSE/I) seeks expressions of interest (EOI) from providers, including independent and NHS organisations or partnerships of the two, who have the capability and capacity to deliver PiCU and low secure beds for CAMHS T4 in-patient services.
These services are not currently available within the South West region, meaning that young people from the South West who require a PiCU or low secure admission currently have to travel a distance from home. The contract term is currently being determined, but is likely to be a minimum of 4 years, the expectation is that between 10-12 PICU and between 10-12 low secure beds will be required, although this and indicative contract values will be confirmed later.
The services will be aimed at young people between the ages of 13 and 18 who originate from the South West of England, who require more specialist PiCU or low secure services for a period of time within their inpatient treatment pathway. It is important when considering commissioning services that the focus should be on providing the right services as close to young people’s homes as is possible. As PiCU and low secure demand is less than that of general adolescent units, the bed capacity will be smaller and therefore, providing a regional rather than local solution will deliver the optimum resource for access to all areas within the South West. There are national PiCU and low secure CAMHS services specifications, which will be localised and used to ensure any service meets the standards required.
Currently the South West has to access PiCU and low secure beds commissioned from services outside of the South West. NHSE/I’s intention would be to establish safe, effective services at the earliest opportunity within the South West.
Going forward there is an expectation that within the South West there will be commissioning changes with the implementation of the South West CAMHS Provider Collaborative and new services will therefore need to be working in partnership with and become part of, the South West Provider Collaborative as and when it goes live.
Changes to the national programme are anticipated during the term of this contract, thus providers will be expected to work with commissioners to implement required changes and adjust service delivery in a safe and timely manner.
This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit on behalf of NHSE/I.