WA13435 Specialist Gender Dysphoria Services Delivered from Sexual Health Settings

NHS England (NHSE) seeks Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from providers in England who have the capability and capacity (to be assessed as part of initial procurement process) to deliver specialised healthcare interventions (non-surgical) within a sexual health clinic setting for adults on the NHS pathway of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria. Currently, NHSE are looking for two compliant providers and intend to make two discrete awards to those providers. For the avoidance of doubt, the providers are not expected to partner in the delivery of these services.

The providers will establish a multi-disciplinary team of professionals that can deliver a service in compliance with NHSE's published service specification (provided with this PIN), and that is delivered from a specialist HIV / GUM Service setting. The service will provide assessment of individuals for the purpose of diagnosis and will provide healthcare interventions for those who receive a diagnosis of gender dysphoria as described in the service specification.

Bids will be considered from providers who cannot yet meet the terms of the service specification but who can describe credible proposals for developing a service within two years which must include a named experienced consultant in gender dysphoria medicine for the purpose of training, clinical supervision, and mentoring. In such cases NHSE will provide additional funding for clinical staff to receive academic training through the Royal College of Physicians' accredited credential in Gender Identity Healthcare Practice.

The contract term of each contract will be 5 years initially with an option to extend for a further 2 years (at commissioner discretion). The total value of each contract will be c.£8.75m over the 7-year period (should the extension be granted and based on 2022/23 values). There is also c.£100k available for mobilisation costs and the potential for additional funding later in the contract should expansion of the service be required. The contracts are expected to commence in March 2023, though this may change depending on the mobilisation requirements of the selected providers.