Market Engagement Notice: Life Planning Services for NHS England South

NHS England South are considering contracting for life planning services to meet the planning requirements for people with a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum conditions currently in secure hospital placements or children's Mental Health units. The service will deliver circa 100 life plans over an 18 month period.

NHS England South are seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from providers who have the capability and capacity to undertake such a contract and would wish to take to part in a potential procurement exercise. The procurement is likely to take place in Spring 2017 and the contract is anticipated to begin in Summer 2017.

The total value for these services is circa £250k. This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

Life planning is a person centred, strengths based form of planning that is especially suited to helping commissioners and providers understand and engage with people who have complex lives and needs and who have previously challenged services. The methodology is detailed and requires a significant commitment of time and energy to develop a high quality plan that is owned by all participants, but primarily the person and their family.

The key to understanding this approach is to comprehend and accept the underpinning values and principles that drive the process. Much of the process derives from a highly person centred citizenship based understanding of people's lives.

This was effectively described in Keys to Citizenship by Dr Simon Duffy, published in 2003. The Keys to Citizenship are described under 7 headings: 1.

Purpose - we live a life of meaning 2. Freedom - we can pursue our purpose 3.

Money - we have the means to pursue our goals 4. Home - we can belong in community, but also protect our privacy 5.

Help - we can offer others opportunity 6. Life - we can contribute in our own way 7.

Love - we can build relationships and new life This service may involve organisations collaborating to deliver the service as a single provider. The Commissioners wish to engage with the market on how this service may be delivered and invite feedback from prospective bidders.

We would welcome responses from those organisations or individuals who may be interested in bidding for these services. It will be an opportunity to provide the commissioners with feedback about Life Planning in the NHS England South area and the critical issues for the public and commissioners.

The commissioners also welcome input from prospective bidders as an opportunity to share best practice and innovation. Further information in the additional text section Additional information: A copy of the draft service specification has been made available to prospective bidders with this notice.

To register on In-Tend please visit: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Registration You can access the project on In-Tend directly using the following link: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/ProjectManage/379 The Provider Sounding Questionnaire and draft service specification can also be accessed by selecting 'View Synopsis', visible in the Tender tab of the Tender Management page. Please send the completed questionnaire by In-Tend correspondence on the below project: NHS E South - Procurement for the provision of Life Planning Services (SCW/NHSEY57/00000379/2017) This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit NHS England or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest.

NHS England will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. The Services are healthcare services within the meaning and scope of Annex XIV of Directive 2014/24/EU ("the Directive") and Schedule 3 to the Public Contract Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations"), which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime", (Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations).