Medicine Optimisation for NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG and NHS South Tyneside CCG (Practice and Care Home Prescribing Support)

NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG and NHS South Tyneside CCG are seeking providers to deliver a comprehensive, high quality medicines optimisation (pharmaceutical and prescribing support) service to all GP practices and practice staff within the Clinical Commissioning Group boundaries, to support the delivery of the CCG'S medicines optimisation strategy.

Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group comprises 65 practices with a single management structure. The CCG employs a small Medicines Optimisation Team directly, which will direct the work of the practice based team(s) that are the subject of this tender. Prescribing expenditure continues to be significant pressure for the CCG and medicines optimisation has a key role in the management of this budget.

Practice based prescribing teams have been in place for a number of years in both localities. The CCG is taking this opportunity to rebalance the service provision in the two localities.

The overall aim of the service is to support the CCGs to improve the quality, safety and cost effective use of medicines in primary care, reduce variation in practice and improve health outcomes for patients. This will be achieved through the implementation of a medicines optimisation action plan, approved by the commissioner and implemented by the provider through the provision of high quality medicines optimisation support to all practices within the boundaries of the CCGs

A fundamental component of the service is that it works in an integrated way with the CCG team, medicines optimisation commissioning support, GPs and GP practice teams to ensure multi-disciplinary working and a patient centred approach to achieve the optimal use of medicines and best outcomes for patients.

The service will have equitable access, ensuring that patients are treated with dignity and respect, are fully informed about their care and are able to make decisions about their care in partnership with healthcare professionals

NHS South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (NHS STCCG) constitutes 24 GP practices. There are 22 Nursing and Residential homes situated within South Tyneside.

The CCG's Medicines Optimisation Team will direct the work of the practice based team(s) that are the subject of this tender. Prescribing expenditure continues to be significant pressure for the CCG and medicines optimisation has a key role in the management of this budget.

The overall aim of the service is to support the CCGs to improve the quality, safety and cost effective use of medicines in primary care, reduce variation in practise and improve health outcomes for patients. This will be achieved through the implementation of a medicines optimisation action plan, approved by the commissioner The contract start date is 1st October 2017. The contract period will be 3 years (36 months) followed by an optional extension of up to 2 years (24 months). Therefore the maximum contract duration, including available extensions, is 5 years (60 months).

Additional information: Please ensure that you leave enough time to register your organisation on the tendering portal which can take up to 24hrs. NEL CSU will adopt the open procedure as a template for this procurement. The Services to which this project relates fall within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). Neither the publication of the advertisement, the use of this stage, nor the use of the term 'Open Procedure' nor any other indication (including any statement in this advert or the ITT documentation) shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by any of the Regulations, save those applicable to procurements under the Light Touch Regime (LTR). Interested Bidders must access the ITT documentation via the link provided and submit an ITT response with associated online questionnaire(s) on the e-Tendering portal 'ProContract' before the submission deadline. See procurement documentation for more details.