NHS England South - Liaison and Diversion Services

This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice with regards to Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services in the South of England. NHS England is wishing to hold a provider engagement event to determine the level of interest.

Publication or response to this notice does not commit NHS England or respondents to award any contracts or to any future procurement. NHS England South is seeking to commission L&D Services across the South.

There are high numbers of people with mental health, learning disability, substance misuse and other psychosocial vulnerabilities who enter the youth and criminal justice systems, who could be dealt with in the community, or diverted from the justice pathway altogether, as well as requiring early identification should custodial sentences be applied. The aim of the L&D Service is to provide early intervention for vulnerable people (adults, children & young people) as they come to the attention of the criminal justice system.

The service will provide a prompt response to concerns raised by the police, youth offending teams, court staff or any other referral process (including self-referral) and provide critical information to decision-makers in the justice system, in real time, when it comes to charging and sentencing. The service will also act as a point of referral and follow up for these service users, to ensure they can access, and are supported to attend community treatment and rehabilitation appointments.

The contract duration is likely to be for 3 years with an extension of 3 years, with a commencement date of April 2019. The procurement exercise is likely to be split into multiple lots across the areas below and with values ranging from £525k to £1800k. • Devon and Cornwall • Wiltshire • Gloucestershire • Hampshire • Dorset • Surrey • Sussex • Kent For further background and detail please see the attached Specification at Section 5 of this notice.

Please note this is the national specification; local specifications will be available at tender stage. At this time, NHS England would like to determine the potential level of provider interest from all sectors in preparation for hosting an engagement event in Reading.

The provisional date is 4th June 2018. It will be an opportunity for providers to gain further understanding of the Commissioner's intentions and provide feedback to inform the final specification and procurement strategy.

Further details of the event including venue details and confirmed date will be provided to those who express an interest. If you are interested in attending, please complete the provider market sounding questionnaire attached to this notice and return via the eProcurement system In-Tend.

Full details of how to return your questionnaire can be found at the end of this notice. Please return by 12:00pm Tuesday 22nd May.

This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of NHS England Commissioners. Additional information: 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 any award of contracts or to any 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.