Intermediate Care Beds on behalf of Harrow CCG

NHS Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) wishes to commission 59 sub-acute & rehabilitative beds for the delivery of intermediate health care as part of a comprehensive package of step-up/step-down care for patients across Harrow.

The CCG is seeking to engage with suitably qualified & experienced providers to inform the most appropriate route to market. An early engagement questionnaire has been developed for completion, along with a draft service specification, which the CCG is inviting potential providers to provide feedback on. The early engagement process will be used to help shape the final version of the specification and to determine the most appropriate route to contract award. Responses from the market engagement may evidence the appropriateness to award a contract without any competition.

The nursing/healthcare provided is expected to be provided by a team of staff that have specific skills and training in the delivery of step up / step down care to meet the needs of patients in the health setting in collaboration with partner service providers. The patients would be admitted either via the community sub-acute (step up) pathway from home or from the Acute Trust following inpatient acute care. The service would be subject to all quality governance, performance and finance controls currently in place within the Trust (E.g. nursing metrics) and national reporting requirements (e.g. delayed transfers of care).

The intended patient’s outcomes for the service are:

To promote independence by providing rehabilitation and care within the most appropriate setting;

To promote good health and wellbeing;

To avoid unnecessary/inappropriate admissions to hospital, residential or long term care;

To promote timely recovery from illness or injury;

To facilitate timely hospital discharge from any acute service setting.

The anticipated annual contract value relating to the above services is estimated to be in the region of £5.0m-£5.4m, based on a 2 year contract and the potential to extend for up to a further 2 years.

If the CCG decides to undertake a formal procurement process then this is anticipated to commence mid October 2016 through a notice on Contracts Finder, with the intention to have a contract awarded by the end of December 2016 and for Service to commence by 1st April 2017.

Note: An expression of interest is no indication of a commitment to participate in any subsequent procurement process nor does it infer any special status on those providers who do submit an interest. Neither will this notice or any organisation’s expression of interest commit the CCG to undertake any procurement of the Intermediate Care Beds Service & the CCG has a right to withdraw the notice. *** PROVIDERS ARE INVITED TO EXPRESS THEIR INTEREST in this early engagement by emailing the completed questionnaire and any comments on the draft specification to alex_long@nhs.net. THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS is 12 NOON 14th OCTOBER 2016.