Mental Health Core Services (TT PT SMHP) for NHS Mid and South Essex ICB

This is an Intended Approach Notice to award a contract using the Most Suitable Provider Process for the Provision of Talking Therapies (TT, formally known as IAPT) and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems (PT SMHP) referred to within this notice as “Mental Health Core Services” (the Service) for NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (herein “The Contracting Authority”) The Service has been historically commissioned under separate contractual arrangements held by the individual Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). The ICB was established on 1st April 2022, replacing the CCGs as the Contracting Authority. As a result, these contracts will now be subsumed into a single contract commissioned by the Contracting Authority. The Services are currently delivered by four different providers through a multifaceted approach with differing offers across the system which is reflective of the previous CCG individual commissioning pathways, resulting in inequitable offers across the population of MSE. The Long-Term Plan and Joint Forward Plan (2023) states a commitment to increase access to psychological therapies with a focus on maintaining treatment times and recovery standards. The ICB proposes a single system-wide offer, to amalgamate all the contracts for these services into one contract to support integration, reduce fragmentation of services and reduce the number of contracts that MSE ICB will need to manage going forward. This will enhance and improve outcomes to elicit patient safety and quality. The Contracting Authority has considered which providers may be capable of providing the Service for the relevant patient population in Mid and South Essex. The Contracting Authority is of the view, considering providers that they understand are likely to have the ability to deliver services to the relevant population, and all relevant information available at this time that it is likely able to identify the most suitable provider. The Contracting Authority has worked with the incumbents and is of the view that this cohort of existing providers have the necessary experience, knowledge and skills to offer a collaborative provision via a lead provider model. Recognition that the services will need to do more with less funding and recognising the benefits and efficiencies of doing things once. Providers will also need to share risk and invest in the service provision through this collaborative partnership. The proposed contract duration will be for a 3-year period, with the option to extend for a further 24 months, from the 01st April 2025. The total aggregate value for the entire 5-year contract term for the Service is £84,844,761. The Contracting Authority intends to award a single contract to suitably, technically capable provider. In order to award a contract, the most suitable provider must have demonstrably satisfied the minimum Basic Selection Criteria, including financial and economical standing, satisfying the Key Criteria assessment and the commercial envelope. The awarded provider will be expected to share the risk, resources, capacity and to work collaboratively with the ICB. Any queries will be considered until the 28th June 2024 at 12:00 noon, in line with best practice, under Provider Selection Regime. However, any interested providers will be required to satisfy the requirements as outlined above, including the sharing of risk, investment and collaboration through partnership in the service provision.