NHS Southport & Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG - Support Service for Personal Health / Wheelchair Budgets

NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) is working on behalf of NHS Southport & Formby CCG and NHS South Sefton CCG who are awarding a contract for a Support Service for Personal Health / Wheelchair Budgets.

This support service is for individuals who require support with Direct Payment Personal Health Budgets; Third Party Personal Health Budgets or Third Party Personal Wheelchair Budgets.

The support service will undertake support to individuals for Direct Payment Personal Health Budgets (PHBs). Individuals are expected to buy and manage health services themselves and hold audit trails of their spend. The support service will undertake to support individuals or their carers to manage the Direct Payments and keep an audit trail of these payments.

The support service will also undertake support to individuals for Third Party Personal Health Budgets (PHBs). This is where the organisation will hold the money on behalf of the induvial and pay for and arranges the care and support as agreed in a care plan. Third Party Wheelchair Budgets operate in a similar manner where the organisation assists the individual to purchase mobility equipment from outside of the NHS.

Additional information: The CCGs published a Future Opportunity Notice on 21st May 2021 inviting any provider to respond to a call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs). Only 1 provider responded to the call for EOIs and was able to demonstrate that they had the skills, experience and capability to deliver the service. Therefore, the CCGs are intending to award a contract to this provider, which is Sefton Carers Centre.

Following publication of the VEAT notice on Friday 15th October 2021, there will be a 10-day standstill period, concluding on Monday 25th October 2021. Following satisfactory conclusion of the standstill period, the CCGs will enter into a contract with Sefton Carers Centre for 3 years with the option to extend by 2 years.