Award of 0-19 Public Health Contract (Health Visiting and School Nursing)

Concepts

• health and social work
• wembley
• school nursing services
• public health
• health inequalities
• an intensive health visiting service
• health visiting
• school nursing
• school nurses
• health visitors

Location

Wembley

Description

The Council has a contract titled the Children’s Public Health Service for 0-19 years (Health Visiting and School Nursing). It is provided by Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (“CLCH”) who deliver the services under contract including health visiting; school nursing services; and healthy weight service including infant feeding support. These services are nationally mandated and contribute towards the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme.

Total Quantity or Scope

The Children’s Public Health Service 0-19 years (Health Visiting and School Nursing) is provided by Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (“CLCH”). It delivers health visiting and school nursing services, the nationally mandated Healthy Child Programme and additional services specified locally by public health including an intensive health visiting service to address health inequalities and healthy weight services. The current contract will expire 30th April 2024. The delivery of the Healthy Child Programme promotes nurturing and bonding and underpins healthy development of babies and young children. Health visitors and school nurses play a critical role in safeguarding babies, children and young people. The 0-19 service forms part of the integrated offer of early intervention and prevention for all families from conception to adulthood, delivered through our Family Wellbeing Centres. The Council is intending to award a contract an existing provider following direct award process C. The approximate lifetime value of the contract is £11,980,760.00 The dates between which the services are intended to be provided is 01/05/2024 - 30/04/2026.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85000000 - Health and social work services

Indicators

• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 12/07/2024. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Other Information

Written representations should be sent to procurement@brent.gov.uk Details of the award decision-makers - Brent Cabinet resolved to approve the direct award a contract in respect of Children’s Public Health Services 0-19 Years (Health Visiting and School Nursing) to the provider Central London Community Health Care NHS Trust for 2 years. https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/documents/s141065/10.%20Authority%20To%20Award%20... Note any declared conflicts or potential conflicts of interest of individuals making the decision and how these were managed - There are no identified conflicts of interest. A report was prepared by the Officer recommending the award and the decision was made and taken by the Council's Cabinet. Relative importance of the key criteria that the relevant authority used to make a decision - The existing provider was assessed against key criteria which were equally weighted and the provider scored satisfactorily against the assessed criteria as set out below. Key criteria for the service: Quality and innovation: - The contract delivers the following services health visiting, school nursing services and a healthy weight service including infant feeding support. These services are nationally mandated and contribute towards the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme. Value: - The service has responded to the needs of the population and growing concerns for our most vulnerable residents. This has been added within the budget and resource. Integration, collaboration and service sustainability: - The service is delivering health programmes as per the Healthy Child Programme detail - a government/NHS run programme focusing on early life stages focusing on a universal preventative service. The programme is delivered in line with the ambitions for the NHS Long Term Plan. The service delivers on a global initiative to support breastfeeding for as long as possible, and is working with the local family wellbeing centres to deliver Unicef Baby Friendly initiatives. Public Health has noted that obesity rates are coming down slowly. This may suggest that the team is responsive to the local population. Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice: - The service is expected to be equitable across the borough, ensuring that there are opportunities for residents to make contact at various times of the day or in a variety of methods. Brent is a diverse borough both in economic and social status. The service will be expected to also provide information and education in different languages or by using translation services. The provider should also be working to deliver specific support for vulnerable families to ensure barriers are removed as far as is possible. For example: - the provision of clinics across the borough - healthy eating advice provided in high obesity areas - provision of support for our most vulnerable families including homeless residents and people with low to mild perinatal mental health Social value: - Social value is met through the service engineered to deliver additional public health support through wider engagement. The service also recruits staff from Brent. Assessment of the existing provider's current performance against the existing contract taking into account the established key criteria: Quality and innovation: Often meets expectation but needs improvement Value: - Meets expectations Integration, collaboration and service sustainability: - Meets expectations Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice: - Meets expectations Social value: - Meets expectations Rationale for choosing the provider with reference to the key criteria: The current contract holder is an integral part of the Brent ICP, fully committed to delivering the locally health and care system priorities, and embedded in local governance. It is acknowledged that there are issues with the current performance. However, the underlying cause is the challenges recruiting and retaining specialist clinical staff. The award of this contract will also allow the remaining Start for Life funding to be programme to synchronise with the main 0-19 funding and service.