NHS England South (South West) - Provision of Custody and Courts Referral Service across Avon and Somerset

NHS England South (South West) as Lead Commissioner and the Avon and Somerset Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPPC) as Co-Commissioner sought to jointly commission Custody and Courts Referral Service across Avon and Somerset. The procurement was carried out by NHS South, Central & West Commissioning Support Unit (SCWCSU) on behalf of the Commissioners.

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. Across Avon and Somerset over recent years, two separate services have been in place to support these people, namely Liaison and Diversion (L&D) and the Arrest Intervention Referral Services (AIRS).

These two services have been previously commissioned by NHS England and the OPCC separately. Realising there was significant cross over between the two services, NHS England and the OPPC commissioned a Health Needs Assessment in November 2016 to look across the provision available for vulnerable people entering the criminal justice pathway.

One of the clear recommendations coming out of the needs assessment was for a single, integrated service to be commissioned. Working on this recommendation, a 12 week stakeholder consultation period commenced in June 2017.

The findings of which helped to shape and inform the specification for the Custody and Courts Referral Service being commissioned. In developing a single, integrated service, the Commissioners are clear that efficiencies will be made, duplication removed and a more effective service will be delivered to vulnerable individuals.

The aim of the Custody and Courts Referral Service is to provide early intervention for vulnerable people (both adults and children and 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 or court staff, and provide critical information to decision-makers in the justice system, in real time, when it comes to charging and sentencing these vulnerable people.

The service will also act as a point of referral and assertive follow up for these services users, to ensure they can access, and are supported to attend, treatment and rehabilitation appointments. The contract duration will be for 5 years, with a commencement date of 1st April 2018.

The annual contract value is a range of £1,800,000.00 to a maximum of £1,950,000.00 (ex. VAT).

Over the lifetime of the contract the Commissioners are keen to introduce a deferred charging scheme, along the lines of the Durham Checkpoint scheme. This would require the successful provider to work jointly with Avon and Somerset Constabulary and other partners to develop and implement such a scheme. Bidders should refer to the service specification for further information Additional information: The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).