Specialist Mental Health Scheme for BME - on behalf of NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group - Prior Information Notice

This is a Prior Information Notice (PIN) on behalf of NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The purpose of this PIN is to gauge market interest and conditions for the Provision of Specialist Mental Health Services for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) in Oldham.

A project has been established relating to BME Specialist Mental Health Services, for which the counselling element of the service will potentially be going out to tender. The intention is to let the contract for an initial 12 month period with a view to commissioning a fully integrated Mental Health Service in the near future, dependent on the uptake during the initial period.

Service provision will be in the Glodwick area of Oldham, which consists of 7 GP practices, and an estimated 30,000 patients.

The provider of the services should be able to offer a first-language Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)/ counselling service for patients from a south Asian background (approx. 26% of the cluster population), in particular, for Pakistani/Kashmiri heritage residing in the Glodwick area.

Providers will need to offer access to both male and female therapists, as well as flexible clinic times to suit local needs. Given the cultural sensitivities surrounding mental health, the service provider will be required to work with the individuals and their families to ensure optimum support/outcomes.

Potential providers wishing to express an interest in participating in any tender process should do so by, emailing their interest to Andrew_Payne@nhs.net by 4pm on Thursday, 28th May 2015.

Please note that an expression of interest in delivering the specialist mental health services for BME is not a tender response. An expression of interest is no indication of a commitment to participate in the tender process nor does it infer any special status on those providers who do submit an interest.

Potential providers who do not express an interest at this stage will still be able to apply in the future. This expression of interest does not commit the CCG to undertake the procurement of the Specialist Mental Health Services for BME and the CCG has a right to withdraw the notice.