Early Engagement - Sexual Assault Referral Centres in the South

This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice in order to facilitate early engagement with potential providers, and relates only to a pre-procurement market engagement workshop.

NHS England, Office of Police & Crime Commissioners and Police Forces within the South are looking to re-commission Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) provision for both adults and paediatrics, including Sexual Offence Examiners / Forensic Medical Examiners.

The areas covered within the re-commissioning exercise include:

• Dorset
• Hampshire
• Kent
• Surrey
• Sussex

There is considerable variation in service provision across the SARCs, not only with regards to the age and needs of service users but also to activity, service specification, referral pathways and the scope of Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) and therapeutic / counselling services.

For all SARCs, therapeutic services are out of scope (these are commissioned separately).

With regards to ISVA provision, for Dorset SARC this is also likely to be out of scope and commissioned separately.

For all other SARCs, at this stage it is unknown as to whether ISVA services will be in or out of scope.

The re-commissioning exercise will aim to increase equity of access and ensure a consistent and high standard of quality care to victims of sexual assault in line with the Strategic Direction for Sexual Assault and Abuse Services (2018).

At this time, NHS England would like to determine the level of provider interest from all sectors (including voluntary and third sector) in preparation for hosting provider engagement workshop events in October 2019.

There will be two events, one located in Dorset/Hampshire on Friday 25th October and one in Surrey/London on Thursday 31st October.

We are in the process of finalising venues and will advise you of these when you have registered.

We welcome attendance from providers who may be interested in bidding for these services, either in their own right or as a subcontractor or partner, to assist the Commissioners to achieve a better understanding of the provider market. It will be an opportunity to meet with the Commissioners, and discuss the critical issues, challenges and opportunities that relate to future commissioning and provision of SARC services.

At this stage only high level information, in respect to current services or the future procurement strategy / process will be given. The focus will be on obtaining feedback from the market to help inform the re-commissioning and procurement of these services.

The two events will be similar in format and similar topics will be discussed. Two events are being held purely to assist with access and attendance from providers across the geography.

The procurement is likely to commence in February 2020 and will be undertaken by South Central and West Commissioning Support Unit Procurement Team. At this stage, there is likely to be one procurement, lotted appropriately, however this could be subject to change.

Additional information: If you are interested in attending an event, please register an expression of interest on the In-Tend e-procurement portal, as well as completing the Engagement Event Questionnaire, by 12 midday on Wednesday 16th October 2019.

Venue details and further information will be provided to interested parties on receipt of their completed registration.

Interested providers will be able to view the associated notice and register to attend via the 'current tenders' list on the In-Tend e-procurement portal https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home

Project title: PR003105: Early Engagement - Sexual Assault Referral Centres in the South

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 NHS England or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. Commissioners are looking to establish what interest there might be in providing such a service from suitably qualified, capable and competent organisations.

NHS England 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 due course.