CQC Partnering support to SCW

NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW), is seeking any potential providers wishing to express interest in delivering CQC Partnering support to SCW. As an entity statutorily associated with NHS England, SCW is not able to secure a CQC registration in its own right. SCW are looking for a CQC registered partner to provide oversight for any activities which may be subject to CQC regulation within the scope of specific opportunities we seek to pursue and are awarded.

We are looking for a partner to provide assurance to SCW that our service delivery models, processes and governance continue to be in line with regulatory and contractual requirements associated with CQC registration and clinical liability. The aim of this partnership arrangement is to allow multi-disciplinary leadership approach to services required to be delivered which may be subject to CQC regulation as part of contractual requirements.

SCW has a wealth of experience in delivery of at-scale, complex pathway remote clinical contact activities. SCW anticipates we may pursue several opportunities over the coming years that may require SCW to have a CQC Partner. These are likely to be for activities such as remote clinical interventions including health coaching to support informed decision making, signposting and pathway navigation for members of the public.

The partner will have their own CQC registration and a nominated individual and be well versed in CQC standards. SCW already has a well-established clinical governance model and senior leadership team including a clinically registered Clinical Director and Deputy Clinical Director, therefore the CQC partner will not be required to duplicate this model or other senior leadership roles.

The scope of this partnership will only be for those elements of a service that explicitly require CQC registration as specified by the opportunity's commissioner within procurement and contractual documentation. Any wrap around services that sit outside of this requirement SCW would seek to deliver themselves. Assurance activities may include but are not limited to:

• Reviewing service pathways to ensure compliance with CQC and other regulatory requirements.
• Checking contact centre scripts to ensure clinically safe delivery of specific pathway navigation.
• Participation in service specific SCW and CQC Partner Joint Delivery Boards and Service Patient Safety and Incidents Working Groups.
• Participation in SCW's Clinical Assurance Group as a service specific representative.
• Making recommendations for continuous service improvement to support best practice associated with CQC and other regulatory requirements.

Additional information: Interested parties must be eligible to hold appropriate CQC registration and any associated indemnity cover. The key requirements, that providers will be expected to meet are:

• Demonstrable evidence of delivering high quality health care services to similar patient groups / members of the public
• Delivery within the budget
• Evidence of managing service improvement and delivering change in a challenging environment
• Evidence of maintaining an "inspection ready" CQC registered service(s) and the actions/governance arrangements used to do this
• Evidence of partnership working with system organisations and other agencies, and statutory groups

Interested parties must be in a position to form a partnership at short notice.

Please register your expressions of interest by emailing scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net by midday on 5th January 2024.

This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit commissioners or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest.

Commissioners will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. Interested parties should note that a response to this notice does not guarantee an automatic invitation to any subsequent formal procurement, which the commissioners will consider in the future.

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).