In-County Integrated Therapies

Buckinghamshire Council intends to procure an In‑County Integrated Therapies Service to deliver a coordinated therapeutic offer for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The service will integrate Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT), Occupational Therapy (OT), and Physiotherapy (PT), providing a seamless and clinically robust support pathway across health, education, and social care.

The proposed service will provide: - Assessment, intervention and review for children and young people aged 0–19 (and up to 25 where applicable) with SEND‑related therapeutic needs. - Speech and Language Therapy, supporting communication needs, social interaction, and dysphagia management (where clinically required). - Occupational Therapy, addressing functional skills, sensory processing needs, and access to education and daily life activities. - Physiotherapy, supporting physical development, motor skills, and non‑acute health conditions requiring specialist PT input. - Joint working with schools, early years settings, and community teams, supporting Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in accordance with the Children and Families Act 2014. - Integrated delivery that reduces duplication, improves access, and ensures equity of provision across the county. This service is expected to streamline existing therapy pathways by bringing contracts together into a single integrated model, improving consistency, workforce planning, and outcomes for families.

Estimated Contract Value: The procurement is expected to exceed the £2 million UK1 threshold, requiring publication of an individual Pipeline Notice in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. Planned Procurement Approach: A competitive procurement will be undertaken in partnership with NHS system partners where appropriate.

Key features of the planned approach: - Use of a competitive procedure under the Light Touch Regime, common for therapies and SEND services. - Joint commissioning with health partners to ensure a single, unified service model. - Ensuring uninterrupted service delivery through coordinated mobilisation and workforce transfer. Market Considerations: - Forecasting procurement activity through a Pipeline Notice supports market readiness, especially among SMEs and specialist VCSE therapy providers, who are key participants in SEND therapy frameworks nationally.

The integrated model will enable: - Improved recruitment and retention through joint working and shared clinical supervision. - Stronger multidisciplinary collaboration across SaLT, OT and PT. - Better alignment with SEND reforms, EHCP statutory timelines, and local inclusion strategies. - Increased capacity for early intervention, reducing escalation into higher‑cost services. Estimated Procurement Timeline: Tender Notice Publication (UK4): Expected within the next reporting period, in line with the 18‑month visibility requirements for UK1 notices.

New Contract Start Date: Aligned with an academic or financial year cycle. Contract Term: Anticipated multi‑year contract, to promote service stability.

Additional Context: Integrated therapies commissioning is increasingly common across local authorities to improve efficiency and outcomes. This upcoming procurement forms part of the authority’s wider SEND transformation programme, ensuring children and young people can access consistent, high‑quality therapy support within county boundaries.