Crisis Cafes in West Sussex NHS/SOEPS/22.841 PINCC

This notice is to inform the market of the intention to directly award contracts to Richmond Fellowship and West Sussex MIND for the provision of a Crisis Cafe Service for NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board ('the ICB') as follows:

• Crawley Crisis Café (Richmond Fellowship):

Six months from 01/04/23 for a total value of £147,013

• Worthing Crisis Café (West Sussex MIND):

Nine months from 01/01/23 for a total value of £212,366

(based on 2021-22 figures)

A key component of the NHS Long-Term Plan for Mental Health the provision of crisis alternatives and support services, including crisis cafes, are considered an essential alternative to de-escalating or preventing a mental health crisis which would otherwise require attendance at A&E or an in-patient admission.

This direct award is necessary to:

It is essential that the existing service continues to support both new and existing service users whilst a full evaluation locally and Sussex-wide concludes and a new procurement process takes place. The service is a key component of the crisis and urgent care pathway in West Sussex. If the service did not continue in the interim there would be a significant negative impact on our local population who experience mental health crisis, their families and add to the demand and pressures on other parts of healthcare services including both A&E and MH inpatient services.

If you wish to express an interest or should you wish to discuss the content of the PIN further, please do this by sending a message or a completed Expression of Interest via the In-tend e-Tendering portal at https://intendhost.co.uk/soepscommissioning/aspx/Home in the first instance.

The deadline for expressions of interest is 12:00pm (midday) on Monday 12th December 2022.

If no expressions of interest are received, the Authority intends to enter a contract with the incumbent provider relying upon a Regulation 32 exemption of no response/no requests to participate have been submitted in response to this notice, within 30 days of publication.

Please note a portal message is the only accepted method of expressing an interest (correspondence received by any other route will not be responded to).