Children's Integrated Therapy and Equipment Services - C292959

Concepts

• lewes
• community health
• children
• disabled children
• other services
• therapy provision
• therapy programmes
• therapy objectives
• occupational therapy
• equipment service

Location

Lewes

Description

NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO AWARD: NHS Sussex ICB is intending to award a contract to an existing provider following Direct Award Process C of the UK Health Care Services (PSR) Regulations 2023 for Children's Integrated Therapy (Occupational Therapy, Physio Therapy and Speech & Language Therapy) and Equipment Service (CITES) across Sussex. 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 submitted to the relevant authority via the project (Atamis reference no. C292959) at: https://healthfamily.force.com/s/Welcome by midnight (23:59) on 31/07/24. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. This direct award is for a maximum period of 84 months (60 months + 24 months option to extend) The service value is £5,196,000 per annum. CITES is a combined single service that provides children's therapy and equipment and includes all professional therapies, speech and language, occupational therapy and physiotherapy. It works seamlessly with other key providers including Education, Paediatrics, CAMHS, and Children's Social Care. The service will be fully integrated with all stages of the neurodevelopmental and neuro-disability pathways. Its success will be in contributing to timely and streamlined assessment and management to improve children's outcomes. Removing inefficiencies and duplication, promoting equality of access according to need, improving quality standards and increasing value for money are all values of the service. The Children's Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service's overarching aim is that all children and young people known to the service achieve their best possible developmental potential and physical and emotional health and well-being both in childhood and through transition into adulthood. The Children's Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service will provide equipment on loan to disabled children and young people living in East Sussex enabling them to do tasks they would otherwise be unable to do, to enable access to education, or to provide support to a Carer to enable ongoing care in their home. The Children's Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service will work closely with health providers and the wider Local Authority to deliver services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD), and other relevant national guidance. The service is a significant provider alongside other services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and is required to contribute to the way of working outlined in the SEND Reforms of the Children and Families Act 2014.

Total Quantity or Scope

NHS Sussex ICB intends to award a contract to an existing provider following Direct Award Process C under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The Children's Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service will: • Contribute to multidisciplinary assessment of children and young people on neurodevelopmental pathways. • Offer a team approach that maintains an appropriate skill mix to achieve best value for children and young people and their families, the Local Authority, and the NHS. • Provide a timely, accessible therapy service that is responsive to the needs of children, and young people that are referred to the service and their families. • Offer multi-agency and inter-agency working to enable therapy objectives to be effectively integrated into the child's everyday life. This includes training for other staff to enhance their skills and support to therapy programmes. • Provide training to parents and carers to improve their ability to support the ongoing needs of their child/children. • Maintain a quality service through investment in continuing professional development, supervision, and support to all team members. • Contribute to the 5 outcomes as co-produced and agreed by East Sussex leaders from health, education and social care, parents, and young people: 1. My voice is heard and acted upon (Participation) 2. My optimum health and wellbeing are supported (Physical and mental health) 3. I feel confident and secure (Safety and security) 4. I belong and feel valued for who I am - Inclusion and belonging (Provision) 5. I am supported to develop and achieve my goals (Progress and achievement) The service seeks to meet: • The assessed health care requirements to be met by the NHS as the responsible commissioner. • The statutory requirements of the Local Authority such as housing adaptations, equipment, and therapy provision for children with education, health, and care plans (EHCP), and assessments for children undergoing a statutory assessment (Education, Health, and Care Needs Assessment or EHCNA) including reviews. • Offer a team approach that maintains an appropriate skill mix in order to achieve best value for children and young people and their families, the Local Authority, and the NHS. • Provide a timely, accessible therapy service that is responsive to the needs of children, young people that are referred to the service and their families. • Offer multi-agency and inter-agency working to enable therapy objectives to be effectively integrated into the child's everyday life. This includes training for other staff to enhance their skills and support to therapy programmes. • Provide training to parents/carers to improve their ability to support the ongoing needs of their child/children. • Maintain a quality service through investment in continuing professional development, supervision, and support to all team members. Contract term: 5 years with option to extend for one period of 2 years Contract start date: 1 April 2025 Contract end date: 31 March 2030 Option to extend by 1 x 24-month period to 31 March 2032 Contract value per annum: £5,196,000 Total contract value (including extension): £36,372,000

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85323000 - Community health services

Indicators

• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. 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 the relevant authority by midnight (23:59) on 31/07/24. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Other Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. 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 midnight (23:59) on 31/07/24 via the project (Atamis reference number: C292959) at: https://healthfamily.force.com/s/Welcome This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. No conflicts of interest were declared. The service evaluation was reviewed against the 5 key criteria: The key criteria were weighted as follows: Quality and innovation (25%), Value (25%), Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability (20%), Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice (20%); Social Value (10%). Quality & Innovation: This criterion shares the heaviest weighting and was reached due to system solution challenges being met. The criterion reflects our commitment to delivering a therapy and equipment service of the highest quality. It emphasises the importance of innovation and adaptability in meeting the evolving needs of SEND and other CYP disability needs while maintaining excellence in service delivery. Value: The criterion of "Value" holds significant importance as it underscores the necessity of achieving optimal value for public investment in children's physical health services. It is essential to ensure that resources are utilised efficiently and effectively to deliver sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective services. Overall, the service provides good value for money, demonstrated in SLT models of care delivery and within both statutory and non-statutory provision. Value is reflected in good performance data despite growing SEND activity demand. Integration, Collaboration, and Service Sustainability: This criterion shares the second heaviest weighting, highlighting the critical role of integration and collaboration in enhancing statutory and non-statutory health service delivery. It emphasises the importance of establishing cohesive system partnerships between (but not exclusively with) providers, the local authority, with parents carers, with educational establishments to ensure the sustainability and long-term viability of the service. The service demonstrates essential parents/carer co-production and integrating the CYP voice in participation. High levels of compliance for input and integration of data into the system are expected, acknowledging consistency, utilisation, and flow to be achieved as systems mature. Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities, and Facilitating Choice: Also assigned the second heaviest weighting, this criterion underscores our commitment to promoting equitable access to healthcare services for children and young people. It emphasises the importance of addressing health inequalities and enhancing patient choice, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes for all. This is critical for services with SEND service offer and family centred needs, ensuring effective integration into social care and educational partnerships to protect the most vulnerable populations at the point of need. Social Value: While weighted the lightest among the criteria, "Social Value" remains a crucial consideration in our evaluation process. It recognises the potential impact of service changes on the local healthcare workforce and their contributions to broader social, economic, and environmental improvements in the community demonstrating effective equipment recycling, excellent engagement in local workforce development incentives such as SLT course development and with local career events. Offering sustainable student placements, high levels of apprenticeships and high levels of community engagement activity within learning environments and educational settings. The resulting scores by section and final score were as follows: Quality and Innovation: 20% Value: 25% Integration, Collaboration, and Service Sustainability: 16% Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and facilitating choice: 20% Social Value: 10% Total weighted score: 91%