Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2016-11-22
Buyer: NHS South Reading CCG
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 85100000: Health services
Estimated value: 28000000 GBP

Technical requirements: This notice is a call for competition in accordance with Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council Article 48(2)
The Berkshire West CCGs (Wokingham CCG, North and West Reading CCG, South Reading CCG and Newbury and District CCG) are currently reviewing their End of Life Services. Our initial focus it to invite expressions of interest from relevant providers in the market who have current experience of delivering End of Life Care in the community, including Hospice environments and within the clients' home.
The level of interest within the market will indicate the most appropriate procurement model as the next stage in the process.
Interested providers must be able to provide day/outpatient services across the three localities within Berkshire West (Wokingham, Newbury and Reading). In addition due to the close working arrangement with Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the chosen provider will be required to provide inpatient hospice facilities (minimum of 15 beds) on a 24 hours basis, 7 days a week, within a 2 mile radius of the Royal Berkshire Hospital from NHS Property Services owned premises that are currently used for delivery of the service. The current costs of this lease is included within the contract value and are located at the Duchess Of Kent Hospice, 22 Liebenrood Road, Reading RG30 2DX
To note, this prior information notice is a call for competition and may lead to contract award without further advertising under the provision of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The Services are healthcare services within the meaning and scope of Annex XIV of Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘the Directive’) and Schedule 3 to the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (‘the Regulations’). Any process arising from this notice will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The CCG will run a transparent process, treating all bidders (where applicable) equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the CCG will not be bound by the Regulations or the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.
The CCGs have identified a number of priorities for development in responding to the specialist palliative care needs of patients and their families. It is our intention that the Provider will respond to these priorities through the development of an integrated service across Berkshire West, to
— Integrate with the Consultant led service in Palliative Medicine (Consultant service provided at Royal Berkshire Hospital and paid for outside of the contract value directly by the commissioner )
— Provide a locally accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week specialist palliative care service that meets the continuing health care needs of patients as part on an integrated model of care. The delivery of the service will be supported by specialist services including Consultants in Palliative Medicine, community specialist palliative care team and a wide range of allied health professionals including specialist palliative care teams within the Royal Berkshire Hospital
— Develop a person centred holistic approach to the delivery of an integrated service that is focussed on the management of pain and other complex symptoms and is continuously evaluated.
— Operate and meet the requirements of high quality and equitable services, which includes evidence based tools to support advanced care planning.
— Demonstrate continuous improvement in service delivery measured though a programme of audit and evaluation.
— Ensure service users and carers receive intervention in their chosen setting(s) (where appropriate).
— Ensure repeated acute admissions to hospital in the last few months of life are avoided (where appropriate).
— Ensure patients will be supported to make informed decisions about dying in their preferred place of care.
— Inpatient beds in premises owned by NHS Property Services and currently used for service provision.