NHS England - Health Needs Assessment Services

NHS England wishes to commission health needs assessments for the healthcare service in some prisons, in police custody, and for an immigration removal centre. To commission effectively, it is essential that the commissioning cycle begins with a health needs assessment which examines the health needs of the establishment(s).

This enables the commissioning team to understand disease prevalence, services which respond to the health needs and to receive evidence-based recommendations for the services. The requirement is best practice in relation to commissioning, but is also mentioned in ‘Expectations’ (HMIP) in the section on governance: ‘32.

Prisoners are cared for by a health service that accurately assesses and meets their health needs while in prison and which promotes continuity of health and social care on release. Indicators References • Health services are informed by the assessed needs of the prison population and are planned, provided and quality assured through integrated working between the prison and its local health economy.’ In April 2015, local authorities will assume responsibility for social care needs in prison.

The HNAs must include a section on social care needs and how they can be integrated with the delivery of healthcare. The value of the contract is between £10 to £12k per report. Please refer to the specification attached to this advertisement for further details and for the evaluation criteria for award of this contract.