Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2020-10-26
Buyer: NHS Hounslow Clinicial Commissioning Group
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 32570000 | 32580000 | 64200000 | 72310000: Data processing services | 72312000: Data entry services
Estimated value: 58618630 GBP

Technical requirements: NWL CCGs (as described in Section VI.3) below and hereinafter referred to as the ‘CCGs’) are looking to award the provision of an Integrated and urgent care service to a collaboration of providers already working within North West London (‘NWL’) who will jointly provide: the call handling service of 111; the clinical assessment service for 111; and GP out of hours services. The 111 service is a critical part of the NWL urgent care infrastructure and key to enabling a person to be treated in the right place at the right time. The CCGs are looking to secure providers who have a track record in the delivery of these services with, critically, knowledge of the needs of NWL residents and understanding of the pathways of care across the STP footprint.
The CCGs are intending to award the provision of 24/7, 365 day 111 call handling services to London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (‘LAS’) with London Central and West Unscheduled Care Collaborative (‘LCW’) and Practice Plus Group as mandated sub-contractors. 111 is a nationally mandated service and is a key element of the NWL urgent care infrastructure. Pathways trained service, health and clinical advisors help ensure patients are guided to the appropriate service to meet their needs. The collaboration of providers enables NWL to test the opportunities for integration between the 999 and 111 service whilst maximising opportunities to connect pathways of care due to the understanding of care delivery across the STP. The service required to be delivered for callers across NWL, is through organisations accredited to use NHS Pathways, with a clear and detailed understanding of patient need and urgent care pathways in NWL with a good track record of delivery of 111 services.
Following review the CCGs believe that there are opportunities to integrate and streamline call handling between the 999 service and the 111 service. Due to the integration opportunities with the 999 services LAS is the only provider capable of enabling this opportunity.
To ensure resilience and integration, LAS will hold a contract with LCW and PPG being material sub-contractors delivering part of the 111 call-handling supported by an Alliance Agreement.
The form of contract shall be the NHS standard contract. The CCGs believe that LAS is the only capable provider as it is the only provider of the 999 service in London. The CCGs therefore intend to negotiate directly with LAS for the services. The CCGs intend to agree an alliance contract with LAS, Practice Plus Group and LCW. However, should a provider believe that it is capable of delivering the services in the manner set out above, the CCGs welcome engagement with that provider. For details on how to engage, please see Section VI.3).
The CCGs intend to secure a clinical assessment service operating 24/7, 365 days a year and provision of GP out of hours services as part of an integrated urgent care model of care to be delivered across North West London. The clinical assessment service will work alongside the 111 call handling service ensuring that where indicated, patients have access to a clinician who will review their urgent care needs and determine how best these are met. The providers will need to work with LAS for elements of the clinical assessment service. The providers will also need to deliver GP out of hours services for NWL practices that do not provide this service directly. Providers will be expected to meet the national and regional requirements as well as acting as key integrators of urgent care services within NWL.
The CCGs believe that only LAS can lead the delivery of services described in lot 1. Further the CCGs believe that only the LCW and Practice Plus Group can deliver the services described in lot 2 in collaboration with LAS and acting under an alliance agreement. Should a provider believe that it is able to deliver the services under either lot 1 or Lot 2 and has the capability and capacity to do so then the CCGs welcome engagement with that provider. Providers are asked to contact Tessa Sandall by 10.00 on Tuesday 3 November 2020 on tessasandall@nhs.net should they wish to discuss either contract further.
The CCGs are yet to make any firm decision on the award of either the lot 1 or lot 2 contract. Any date in this notice regarding the publication of a contract notice is provisional. The CCG may, depending on the response to this PIN, elect to directly award the contracts.


Award value: 58618630