Prior Information Notice (PIN) and Market Engagement Event for Post-Registration Community Pharmacy Education and Workforce Development Procurement - Health Education England - NHS/SoEPS/16.314

HEE, in partnership with NHS England, through the Pharmacy Integration Fund (PhIF) has a requirement to procure post registration development across a range of skills and clinical themes. The provision is expected to be the enabler for individuals to drive change and will likely consist of a portfolio of modules (level 7, Masters) that learners can access as standalone units of development but will also offer the scope to achieve a post graduate certificate. A total of up to 60,000 credits per year are expected to be procured as part of an initial 2 year contract, with the potential for a further extension of two years, following review. The maximum value of the contract over four years is £10,000,000. The initial two year contract will be a maximum of £5,000,000. These figures include VAT. Please note payment will be related to Financial Years.

Post registration community pharmacy and workforce development has been recognised as one aspect of workforce transformation aimed at developing clinical pharmacy capacity with a view to the delivery of medicines optimisation and the promotion of health and wellbeing through the community pharmacy workforce. The workforce development commissioned will be open to those delivering community pharmacy services. Bid evaluation will include quality criteria that reflects HEE Quality Standards.

The overall deliverables are expected to include action learning sets, courses focused on service development and clinical themes aligned to NHS England requirements - for example, mental health. The providers and participating pharmacists are expected to have an active participation in the programme of evaluation co-ordinated by NHS England's research and evaluation team.

This PIN is to advise prospective providers of the Commissioners intention.

A market engagement event will be held on Thursday 22nd June 2017 from 14:30 to 17:30 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, 1-65 Great Queen St, Holborn, London WC2B 5DA. This will provide an opportunity for potential providers to find out more about the aims of the tender and contracts, the process involved as well as network with others. HEE will use the opportunity to gather intelligence from providers which may influence the final tender.

Please RSVP by Thursday 15th June 2017 with the name, title, email address and telephone number for attendees (a maximum of two attendees per organisation) to:

HEE.pharmreforms@hee.nhs.uk

The commissioner reserves the right not to proceed with the Procurement, or any part thereof, or change the requirements and timescales as necessary at any time.

It is the intention of the commissioner that the procurement will be conducted as on OJEU Service Contract using an Open Procedure under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The ITT is expected to be published in July 2017 with module delivery to commence from November 2017.

A separate advert will be released advising when the procurement is live for submissions.